AFGC: Heading in a circular direction for waste

Responsible sourcing of food, packaging, food waste and recycling continues to grow. Australian Food & Grocery Council sustainability director Barry Cosier explains why developing a circular economy is the best way forward.

For the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), the food and grocery sector’s greatest contribution to Australia’s waste management is best met through the pursuit of a circular economy, by reducing food waste and increasing packaging recycling within the municipal solid waste sector.

To achieve sustainability goals and develop a circular economy, there are many issues that need to be addressed as well as opportunities be embraced.

Food Waste

If food waste was a country, the unconsumed annual area would be about the size of China. This would make food waste the third largest carbon emitter behind China and the US.

In Australia, food manufacturers understand the positive environmental impact of reducing food waste and have focussed on this for many years. Currently, 95 per cent of food waste from the food manufacturing sector is diverted from landfill to higher order uses such as food rescue, animal feed, application to land and composting. This is driving significant circular economy outcomes.

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