Help reduce food waste this Christmas

19 December 2023

The City of Cape Town is urging residents of Cape Town to join in the effort to reduce food waste during the upcoming Christmas celebrations. With the holiday season being a time of abundance and indulgence, it is crucial to raise awareness about the environmental impact of food waste, particularly in terms of carbon emissions.

Food waste is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbates the effects of climate change. When food is wasted, not only are valuable resources such as water, energy and land wasted, but when leftovers and scraps end up in landfill, they produce a potent greenhouse gas that can accelerate climate change.

As such the City encourages residents to practice careful planning when it comes to their holiday meals. Smart shopping and thoughtful meal preparation can help avoid overstocking and excess consumption. Here are some tips to reduce food waste during the holiday season:

Plan meals and shopping lists: Plan your meals in advance and create a detailed shopping list. This way, you can avoid overbuying and ensure you only purchase what you need.
Buy locally and seasonally: Support local farmers and reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation by choosing locally-grown and seasonal produce.
Proper storage: Store food correctly to extend its shelf life. Ensure refrigerated items are kept at the appropriate temperature and use the first-in, first-out method when organising your pantry.
Be mindful of your fridge/freezer capacity, especially in this time of fluctuating load-shedding, when stocking up on fresh fruit and vegetables, to minimise unnecessary spoiling of unused vegetables,
Portion control: Be mindful of how much food you cook and serve. Start with smaller portions and allow guests to serve themselves second helpings if desired. This will minimise leftovers and reduce waste.
Be creative with re-using leftover food: There are options to make leftovers into new and exciting dishes to enjoy, rather than just throwing them out.
Composting: Consider composting at home. Composting food scraps not only reduces landfill waste but also creates nutrient-rich compost that can be used to nourish plants and gardens.

The City would also like to take this opportunity to remind businesses that you are required to come up with alternative plans to landfill, when disposing of organic waste.

Since the adoption of the amended Integrated Waste Management By-law in 2009, every business in Cape Town has been required to develop integrated waste management plans (IWMP) to cover all aspects of waste management, including:

An assessment of the quantity and type of waste generated;
A description of the services required to store, collect, transport and dispose of the waste;
A plan to separate recyclable and non-recyclable material at the point of source;
A waste minimisation plan;
A pollution prevention plan;
Details of potential environmental impact of the waste;
The type or characteristics of environmentally-sensitive waste;
The number of natural resources consumed in the manufacturing or production process that result in waste;
The targets for recovery of waste (minimisation, re-use, recycling); and
Programmes and targets to minimise the consumption of natural resources

These plans now also need to detail how a specific business intends to reduce their organic waste by 50% immediately, and eliminate organic waste that is sent to landfill by 2027.

The portal for submissions is still open and businesses can avoid a fine by submitting their revised plans as soon as possible.

Online submission of waste management plans

Go to the solid waste accreditation site to submit your waste management plan: http://web1.capetown.gov.za/web1/swma/

Application forms are available on the City's website: https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Register/Business-and-trade/Register-as-an-accredited-waste-services-provider

Submit written requests to: waste.accreditation@capetown.gov.za

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office

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