A public consultation on Ireland’s draft National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap was launched in January this year and the closing date has now been extended to 28 March 2022.
Minister McConalogue said, “Globally, food wastage’s carbon footprint is estimated at 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent of GHG released into the atmosphere per year. Ireland generates over 1 million tonnes of food waste each year. I again encourage everyone in the agri-food sector, including retailers, food service, processors, and primary producers, to participate in this consultation. Tackling food waste, cutting back or eliminating it altogether, is a way of respecting the world-class produced on farms and by our producers as well as playing a major role in protecting the environment. We can achieve this by working together.”
Food Vision 2030, the stakeholder-led 10-year strategy for the sustainable development of the agri-food sector, includes an action to develop a National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap. The roadmap sets out a series of actions to deliver the reductions necessary to halve our food waste by 2030, meet any other related targets, and promote our transition to a circular economy. This is in line with the commitment in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, as a key part of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications’ lead role in the preparation of the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap.
Minister McConalogue also said, “If you have not already had your say please do so before the extended deadline of 28 March 2022. Your insight into how food waste reduction can be achieved is invaluable and can help us to achieve our goal of halving our food waste by 2030.”
For information on how to make a submission please see: gov.ie – Public Consultation on the Draft National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap (www.gov.ie) Public Consultation on the Draft National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap