Torridge residents urged to help cut down on food waste

This week is Food Waste Action Week and with 2,500 tonnes of food waste in Torridge last year alone, the district council is calling on residents to buy more loose fruit and veg to help cut down on discards.

Food Waste Action Week runs from today (Monday) to March 23 and is a national initiative to try and raise awareness of how much food we don’t actually eat but just throw away.

During 2024, the Torridge District Council waste and recycling team collected almost 2,500 tonnes of food waste, which works out as 73 kilos per household. 

With food waste costing £1,000, on average, for a household of four every year, Food Waste Action Week aims to help shoppers to save money and waste less food by shopping for loose produce.

The theme for the week this year is focusing on the benefits of buying loose fruit and veg.

Councillor Chris Leather, lead member for operational services at the council, said: “Reducing food waste is a win-win for everyone. By avoiding fruit and vegetables in plastic packaging and multi-buy offers, we are more likely to buy only what we need, meaning less goes to waste and we have a little bit more change in our pockets.

“However, what can’t be used does not go to waste. Once collected, the food waste is transferred to a processing plant where it goes through an anaerobic digestion process which turns it into power which is supplied back to the grid, reducing our reliance on non-renewable energy sources. If you want to reduce your food waste, you can visit www.wrap.org.uk for tips and suggestions."

If you are not currently recycling your food waste and would like to do so, please request a food caddy from Torridge District Council https://torridgedc-self.achieveservice.com/service/Request_Recycling_Containers