How timely, heartening and praiseworthy was the move by Nationalist MP Ivan Bartolo, responsible for the fight against poverty, when, last May, he gave notice of a Private Member’s Bill intended to reduce food waste at every stage, from its production to processing, distribution, and handling.
A few years ago, the European Commission had already started taking the issue of tackling food waste very seriously. Reducing food waste has enormous potential for reducing the resources we use to produce the food we eat. Being more efficient will save food for human consumption, save money and lower the environmental impact of food production and consumption.
As an EU member, Malta is committed to meeting the Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target to halve per capita food waste at the retail and consumer level by 2030 and reduce food losses along the food production and supply chains.
One of the measures intended to reduce food waste is a radical revision of EU rules on date marking (‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates). Yet, rather than the central government moving such a bill, it had to be Bartolo who took the cue, drafted and presented a bill that initiated Malta’s commitment to that goal.
In order to ensure that national efforts against food waste are informed by a solid evidence base and support the sharing of innovation and best practices, the EU has been working on augmenting and improving the quantification of food waste levels.
The revised Waste Framework Directive, adopted on May 30, 2018, requires member States to reduce food waste at each stage of the food supply chain, monitor food waste levels and report back regarding progress made.
Moreover, it lays down obligations for member States to prepare food waste prevention programmes, encourage food donation and other redistribution for human consumption, prioritise human use over animal feed and the reprocessing into non-food products as part of measures taken to prevent waste generation and provide incentives for the application of the waste hierarchy.
Food waste is a huge problem worldwide and, although there is much to do in terms of curbing it, there are some countries that have made laws to discourage people from wasting food.
France is a leader when it comes to attacking food waste at the legislative level
Many countries’ governments work with the private sector and have set ambitious targets to reduce food waste in the future. But only a few countries have actually enacted legislation to help make this happen as quickly as possible. So, again, kudos to Bartolo for taking the initiative to put Malta on that list of countries that have legislation-based measures to control and reduce food waste.
France is a leader when it comes to attacking food waste at the legislative level. In 2016, the country made it illegal for retailers to throw food away and, instead, compelled them to partner with NGOs to redistribute the food to those in need. The law is punitive, with fines of up to €3,750 for each infraction applicable.
Italy has had a law in place since 2016 that enables retailers to donate food waste to food banks and charities. The law means that businesses escape sanctions for donating food past its sell-by date and there are tax incentives available in proportion to the amount of food donated. Food producers are also able to donate the food they would otherwise waste.
South Korea has managed to reduce food waste significantly in recent years, transforming the country from one of the most wasteful in Asia to one of the least. The change began in 2013, when the government made residents of Seoul pay for recycling depending on how much food waste they were creating. The policy proved successful and was then rolled out to other cities in the country.
China is tackling its huge food waste problem with a law that came into effect in 2021. The law banned competitive eating and the sharing of binge-eating videos. Food businesses are encouraged to remind customers about the need to be mindful of food waste and to actively discourage it.
Restaurants found guilty of inducing or misleading behaviours that lead to diners wasting food receive a warning, while serious violators can be fined up to about €1,500. The urban catering industry in China is responsible for some 18 billion kilos of food waste annually.
While food losses occur at all points along the supply chain, from food production to retail, more than half of food is wasted at home. Malta is one of the biggest culprits.
Based on official figures, every person generates more than 135kg of food waste. It is estimated that 45 per cent of fruit and vegetables are wasted annually and never make it for human consumption.
Cutting food waste is a delicious way of saving money, helping to feed the world and protecting the planet. Also, we must stop trashing what’s left of our arable land to grow food that no one eats.
When our food waste legislation is enacted, stakeholders must be given adequate notice of the upcoming changes. It takes time to establish and/or expand infrastructure for the collection, processing and redistribution of food waste.
It also takes time to get communities and businesses ready for the changes brought about by food waste legislation. But, with a well-planned and resourced transition, it is possible to introduce legislation that is a game-changer for tackling food waste.
It’s time to be smart and say no to food waste.