Mapping of food waste quantification methodologies in the food services of Swedish municipalities

Abstract

Since food waste valorisation measures, like energy recovery, have limited possibilities to fully recover the resources invested in food production, there is a need to prevent food waste. Prevention is most important at the end of the value chain, where most sub-processes have already taken place, like in catering facilities. In Sweden, the public catering sector serves a large number of meals through municipal organisations, including schools, preschools and elderly care homes. Many of these organisations quantify food waste, but since Sweden has 290 municipalities with a high degree of independence, the possible variation is significant. This study therefore investigated how food waste is quantified, in order to help formulate a national standard for food waste quantification.Mapping of food waste quantification practices was conducted using a questionnaire and follow-up telephone calls, achieving a response rate of 93%. Of the 290 Swedish municipalities, 55% replied that they quantify food waste on central level. The most common practice at present is to quantify plate- and serving waste from school lunches during two weeks per year, and to compile waste data in spreadsheets and compare the values against the number of plates used, giving a result in grams per portion served. There are many similarities between municipalities, so there is great potential to implement a common standard that many municipalities already fulfil. This is important in order to gain acceptance and fast implementation, thereby speeding up the process of establishing a benchmark for food waste in the Swedish public sector catering sector.

Keywords

Food waste; School; Preschool; Elderly care; Canteens; Municipalities

Published in

Resources, Conservation and Recycling
2018, volume: 137, pages: 191-199

SLU Authors

• Eriksson, Mattias

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lindgren, Samuel

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

Food Waste

Global goals (SDG)

SDG2 Zero hunger
SDG12 Responsible consumption and production

UKÄ Subject classification

Other Environmental Engineering
Environmental Management

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.06.013

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/95571