More information
Description
IPCC argues that food waste has a negative impact on the environment as a result of unnecessarily produced greenhouse gas emissions. We focus on the possibilities of donation of surplus cafeteria food to charity. The sphere of quick service restaurants (canteens and fast food) in the Czech Rep. throws away 27 000 tonnes of food yearly. The aim of our project is to analyse the current situation and lobby for methodical guidelines that standardise interpretation in the Czech Republic which would make food donation possible.
Summary of project results
As part of the Paris Agreement, the Czech Republic, as a member of the EU, signed up to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% compared to 1990 by 2030. Reducing food waste is an important step towards reducing pressure on resources (water, fuel, fertilizers, etc.). In addition, food waste in landfills produces greenhouse gases - according to Eurostat, waste management in the Czech Republic produces almost 5.56 million tons of CO2 per year, per capita we are the 4th largest polluter in the EU. We have been dealing with the issue of food waste since 2013. As part of the project Reduction of food waste in public catering (RedPot), which was supported by a grant from TAČR, we found that one operation (canteen or fast food) discards 1.8 to 24 kg per day food that is still suitable for consumption. According to the measurements, 56% of losses occur in the kitchen, 14% in distribution and another 30% in consumers. In canteens and fast foods in the Czech Republic, this amounts to an estimated 27,000 tons of food waste and losses per year, which is the equivalent of 121,500 tons of CO2. There are ready meals left in the canteens that have not been sold. These are thrown away because the current regulations make it fundamentally difficult to donate food at the end of the delivery period (after 4 hours from cooking) and the interpretation of what can be done with the food after the end of the delivery period is inconsistent. Unclear interpretation of the regulations, which differs at the level of individual regional hygs. stations, discourages potential donors due to fear of sanctions. Another barrier is high hyg. transportation claims. On the other hand, there are beneficiaries (charitable organizations) who are interested in the food. In 2018, the Czech Federation of Food Banks provided assistance to almost 100,000 people in 617 organizations throughout the Czech Republic. The possibility of easily donating food from public catering to those in need would significantly contribute to the reduction of food waste and the saving of financial and natural resources, moreover, it will be one of the priorities of the European Commission.
The main goal of the project was to achieve a change in the impact of Czech legislation (and its application) on the prevention of food waste by March 2022, by enabling the donation of ready meals from public catering to charities. Through the proposal, discussion and subsequent publication of methodological recommendations, clear and comprehensible rules were established and explained under which it was possible to donate food from catering establishments, e.g. in the area of technologies used (freezing), transport and at the same time compliance with the hygiene standards of the Czech Republic.
A comprehensible interpretation of the existing legislation through a dialogue between public institutions and organizations created an environment that would enable the use of leftover ready meals. If we consider that 14% of the waste is generated in the distribution and most of these meals are still suitable for consumption, potentially up to 3,780 tons of food can be saved per year. The project contributed to solving one of the priorities of the fight against climate change.
The main impact of the project is that the NGO managed to clarify the conditions under which ready-made meals can be donated, which removed obstacles on the part of gastroenterprises, which until then were afraid to donate food. In connection with this, they put the project into practice: thanks to the initiative, leftover ready meals began to be transported to people in need. The logistics partner, the company DoDo, currently ships around 50 portions of meals per day. Another positive impact is that a draft decree came directly from the pen of the Ministry of Agriculture, which would allow food to be refrigerated throughout its shelf life. This proposal came from the Ministry and, as is clear from the explanatory memorandum, it was influenced by our advocacy work. If the decree is adopted, it will greatly facilitate the transportation of food due to easier logistics. Another of the impacts is the expansion of public awareness about waste in public catering and the possibilities of donating these meals to people in need. Thanks to the happening "Lunch in emergency" and communication in the online space and through the media, they managed to draw the general public''s attention to the problem. This raises awareness of food waste as a societal problem and increases solidarity with people in need.