According to recent statistics from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), schools in England generate 80,382t of food waste each year, equating to nearly 15% of the country’s entire commercial food waste figure. Not only does the majority of this currently go straight to landfill, but of this school waste, it is estimated that 79% (or 63,309t) is ‘avoidable’.
Data from the School Food Trust shows a year-on-year upturn in the number of children opting for hot meals at school. This raises the question as to what happens to the additional waste generated.
It’s crucial that there is industry-wide engagement with schools to help them adopt more sustainable waste management strategies; these can save money and the environment.
Sending food waste to landfill not only presents serious environmental concerns, it also costs schools and colleges a significant amount of money. In fact, it is estimated that avoidable food waste costs the education sector around £250 million a year, equating to 22p for every school meal served. If this food were recycled instead, the education sector as a whole could eliminate this needless expenditure.
With many schools facing ever tightening budgetary constraints, it’s clear that significant savings could be made simply by adopting a more sustainable solution to food waste management.
Interestingly, there is a significant statistical difference in the amount of food waste generated by different school types. According to WRAP, primary schools produce 72g of food waste, per pupil, per day, while secondary schools comparatively generate 42g.
While it is difficult to explain why such fluctuations exist between school types, it is clear that too much is going to waste. Schools (and the catering companies that work with them) need to identify what is causing such high levels of food waste in the first place.
WRAP’s report cites a number of reasons for the high volume of food that goes to waste in schools. These include the lack of operational systems to stop over-ordering, limited options for re-using unserved food, unpopular meal options and an unpleasant canteen environment.
Less surprising, however, is that the most commonly wasted food in primary and secondary schools was fruit and vegetables. If schools look at segmenting their food waste, it will be possible for them to identify the amount being generated from each source and to take action to minimise wastage.
Monitoring is crucial. Staff should keep an eye on what proves popular, and what doesn’t, to make sure pupils are being served food they want to eat – while ensuring a balanced diet. This will also streamline the food-ordering process, with previous consumption being used as a guideline for how much to order. By tackling over-ordering, schools are able to not only cut their food waste output but also save themselves money.
Of course, cost saving is a vitally important motivation for the education sector to cut food waste, but schools should also consider their corporate social responsibility. Food waste is a growing concern in the UK, so moving ahead of the trend and embracing the environmental benefits of recycling showcases commitment to a sustainable approach.
Proper segregation of food waste makes sound environmental and financial sense for schools. It is clear that diverting food waste to landfill is not a sustainable solution. Indeed, calls are growing for the government to enforce a ban on sending food waste to landfill. The most vociferous campaigners for this movement operate within the energy-from-waste sector, which advocates recycling all types of food waste, via anaerobic digestion (AD). Not only does this deliver a renewable energy source, it also has a significant impact on greenhouse gas levels.
The AD process harnesses the natural degradation of food by capturing the biogas produced and using it to generate either heat or renewable energy – electricity and gas – which can be sent directly to the grid.
Adopting a recycling process such as AD allows schools to reduce their reliance on landfill and provides demonstrable evidence of their commitment to corporate social responsibility.
Considering that 79% of the food waste generated in schools is avoidable, and that this figure accounts for a staggering 15% of the country’s entire commercial food waste figure, there is a real appetite for change in how the education sector handles food waste recycling. Through making small changes, schools are able to reap significant results.