Torridge District Council pledges support for Food Waste Action Week

Torridge District Council has announced its full support for the fourth annual Food Waste Action Week, slated to run from March 18-24. 

The council has aimed to galvanise residents to curb food waste within their households through various initiatives and educational campaigns.

Over the past year, Torridge District Council's waste and recycling team has collected more than 1880 tonnes of food waste. 

They say that's roughly equivalent to the weight of 32 blue whales or two fully loaded Boeing 747 aeroplanes.

Under the theme ‘Choose what you'll lose’, the initiative is designed to inspire individuals to make conscious decisions towards reducing food waste.

The focus lies on advocating for the purchase of loose fruits and vegetables whenever possible. 

According to research conducted by Waste & Resources Action Programme, if all apples, bananas, and potatoes were sold without packaging, an astounding 60,000 tonnes of food waste could be saved annually.

UK households discard 4.7 million tonnes of edible food annually, with a significant portion attributed to individuals preparing, serving, or cooking excess amounts. 

This behaviour incurs an annual expense of £4.9 billion for households nationwide.

Councillor Chris Leather, Lead Member for Operational Services at Torridge District Council, said: "By only purchasing the items that we believe we will use, we can all contribute to reducing food waste." 

Residents interested in mitigating their food waste can access valuable tips and suggestions via the Food Waste Action Week website at www.wrap.org.uk

To facilitate waste management efforts, Torridge District Council has encouraged residents to order food caddies and other recycling receptacles online at www.torridge.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling.