From waste to worth
Through innovative redistribution schemes, citizen engagement, and energy recovery initiatives, councils are transforming surplus food into social support, environmental gains, and renewable energy
Food waste is a growing challenge for local authorities, households, and supermarkets, especially at a time when many families are struggling to afford nutritious food. According to WRAP data from 2021 and 2022, 10.2 million tonnes of food waste is estimated annually. This estimate covers households, hospitality & food service (HaFS), food manufacture, retail, and farm sector. By weight, household food waste makes up 58 per cent of the total, on-farm 16 per cent, manufacturing 13 per cent, hospitality and food service 11 per cent, and retail 2 per cent. For context, approximately 39 million tonnes of food are purchased in the UK for consumption in the home, so food waste is approximately one quarter of this total. Food waste is made up of wasted food and inedible parts (e.g. eggshells, bones, fruit peel).
It estimated that the edible parts of food waste are associated with at least 16 million tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Local authorities have a critical role to play in bringing down these figures. By implementing targeted schemes that combine redistribution, citizen engagement, and energy recovery, councils can transform food waste from an environmental liability into a social and economic opportunity.
Redistribution
In order to reduce some of this food waste, councils can partner with food charities and surplus platforms to redirect edible food to people in need.
Moreover, community fridges, food banks, and redistribution hubs can help to reduce waste and address food insecurity.
In October 2022, West Sussex County Council partnered with UKHarvest and launched a 6-month pilot project to encourage people to take advantage of surplus food rescue services, incorporating food waste prevention education sessions. A full programme was launched in April 2023 and since then, 94 tonnes of food has been prevented from going to waste. The programme has been extended to run until April 2026. Each district and borough in the county holds community food hub once a month where, for a suggested small donation, people will be able to pick up a wide selection of surplus foods which would have otherwise ended up as waste from suppliers.
Citizen engagement and behaviour change
Public education campaigns, school programmes, and nudges (like “no food waste” bin stickers) can help residents reduce avoidable waste.
Furthermore, providing free caddy liners and clear guidance on food waste separation is known to boost participation in recycling schemes.
In 2018, Norwich City Council worked with WRAP on a package of interventions aimed at overcoming traditional barriers to participation in food waste recycling. The interventions were delivered to around 57,000 households over two weeks. Objectives included increasing food waste collected for processing and increasing tonnage of food waste diverted from disposal. As well as support and advice on project planning and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, the council was awarded a grant from WRAP of £60,000 to fund communication material like stickers for residual bins and printed caddy liners; leaflet and liner delivery; and a contribution towards the cost of additional caddies that may be needed. As a result of the intervention measures, daily collected tonnage increased by nearly 40 per cent, while average daily collected refuse tonnage decreased by close to 10 per cent in the same period.
Helen Lambert from the council said: “The increase in food waste tonnage has far exceeded council officer and member expectations, and more encouragingly the tonnages have remained stable”.
Energy from food waste
Once collected, unavoidable food waste can be converted into biogas or organic fertiliser through anaerobic digestion. This circular approach reduces landfill use and contributes to local renewable energy generation.
ReLondon is a partnership between the Mayor of London and the London boroughs to improve waste and resource management. Approximately 64 per cent (931,000 tonnes) of total food loss and waste generated in London comes from households. LEAP (Local Environmental Action Projects) is a social enterprise focused on sustainable urban development, circular economy models, and community-led environmental solutions. They lead the SOURCE project, which is significantly increasing the processing capacity of an existing biodigestion system from 15kg to 150kg of food waste a day from social housing residents. The project turns food waste into biogas and compost for local use. The initiative also engages residents through education and behaviour change campaigns, while collaborating with restaurants and schools to create a local supply chain for food grown using the compost.
SOURCE aims to generate nearly 9,000m2 of biogas and 117m2 of compost annually across three sites, saving over 40 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Food waste is a complex issue, but local authorities have the tools and influence to make a real difference. By redistributing surplus food, engaging citizens in behaviour change, and investing in energy recovery systems like anaerobic digestion, councils can reduce environmental harm while supporting communities. These approaches not only cut greenhouse gas emissions and landfill use but also create opportunities for education, employment, and local food production. With the right support and collaboration, food waste can be transformed from a burden into a resource.
