Waste Less, Save More a guide to red ucing FOOD WASTE and enjoying more savings
In 2013, Singapore produced almost 8 million tonnes of solid waste.1 Of which, the highest amount of waste streams generated with very low recycling rates included 832,0002 tonnes of plastic waste and 796,0003 tonnes of food waste. Food waste refers to discarded food sent for recycling or disposal. 796,000 tonnes of food waste generated translates to each person throwing away 730 bowls of rice in one year! 4 Households and trade premises (such as markets, hawker centres, supermarkets and malls) account for the bulk of the food waste generated in Singapore. 5 = 730 x 1 year Did you know? As much as ⅓ of the food produced globally for human consumption is wasted yearly.6 1 National Environment Agency. http://app2.nea.gov.sg/energy-waste/waste-management 2, 3 National Environment Agency. http://app2.nea.gov.sg/energy-waste/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling 4 5 Information from National Environment Agency, 2013 6 United Nations Environment Programme. http://www.unep.org/wed/2013/quickfacts ⅓
Why should we be concerned? ENVIRONMENTal impact IMPACT ON HOUSEHOLDS Over the past 40 years, Singapore faces a lack of disposed has increased disposal needs. It is the amount of waste almost seven-fold.7 land to meet our waste therefore important to minimise the amount of If waste continues to increase at this rate, waste we generate, so that including odour lifespan of our landfill. nuisance and pest infestations. we can help extend the a new waste-to-energy incineration plant will be needed every Food waste decomposes rapidly in our tropical climate. If not handled properly, this may give rise to public health issues 90% 90 % of food consumed in Singapore is imported 9. Minimising food wastage will make us more resilient in the event of a food crisis. 7 to 10 years An average household spends about a new landfill every Services per month about and Singapore will require 30 to 35 years. 8 S$1,188 on Food and Food Serving 25 % of the total household expenditure.10 Hence, reducing food waste can also help us save money. 7 National Environment Agency. http://app2.nea.gov.sg/energy-waste/waste-management/overview 8 National Environment Agency. http://app2.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/newsroom/news-releases/young-singaporeans-spur-others-to-go-green 9 Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore. http://www.ava.gov.sg/singapore+food+supply.htm 10 Department of Statistics Singapore. http://www.singstat.gov.sg/statistics/browse_by_theme/population/statistical_tables/hes.pdf 25%
Tips to reduce food WASTE Shopping eating out Shop smart. Plan your meals and shopping list, buy what you need and don t buy more! Make a list of the food items you need and stick to it. If you rarely cook, don t stock up on perishable food items. Bring along your own reusable grocery bags to reduce the use of plastic bags! Some fruits and vegetables may look odd-shaped but they are perfectly good to eat. Order only what you can eat. Alternatively, Milk Bread Eggs Flour Sugar start with less food on your plate and order more if you need to. Ask for a smaller portion if you know you may not be able to finish your food. Share the dish. When eating out, share a dish with someone so you don t waste any food, especially if you know that the portion is large and cannot be downsized. Use your own cutleries. Decline plastic forks and spoons when buying packed food. Educate others. By being aware of the issue of food waste, you can help others make better choices too.
COOKING AT home storing Take stock. Plan meals around products that are closest to their Store better. Store you r chips, cereals and cra ckers in airtig ht containers to hel p them last lon ger expiry dates. Prepare a use-it-up meal each week. Instead of using new ingredients, cook Check the fridge. Make sure it s at optimu m efficiency so that with ingredients you already have. fresh for as long as possib le. Use it all. When preparing your meals, use the entire products nea rer to the exp iry on apples or sauté broccoli stems along with their florets Use vegetable and meat scraps in homemade stocks, and share with your neighbours or friends. Pack the food in reusable containers. Out. Pa ck date at the front of the fridge/freezer/cab ine t and put products further away from the exp iry date at the back. (they taste good too). Share! If you have cooked more than you can finish, functioning it can keep food Practis e Fir st to Expire, Fir st vegetable/produce if possible. For example, leave the skin use citrus fruit rinds and zest to add flavour to other meals.. e Managing wast Do nate. You can always donate you r excess non-expired food to a food kitchen. Co mp os t! Hate potato ski ns? You can sta rt a com post pile in the backya rd or under the sin k, and convert food scraps into pla nt fertiliser. 11 National Environment Agency. http://app2.nea.gov.sg/energy-waste/recycling/tips-on-3rs---reduce-reuse-recycle 12 National Environment Agency. http://app2.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/energy-waste/a-guide-to-3r-practices-for-households.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Monitor. If you realise that you are throwing a particular food item out on a regu lar basis, maybe it s time to buy less of it. For tips on how to reduce your waste, click here: Tips on 3Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 11 The 3Rs (A Guide to 3R Practices for Households) 12
Useful Tools To Help Reduce Food Waste FOOD STORAGE CHART How long can you store your food? 13 Product Fresh Eggs Fresh Milk if unopened after opening Bacon Fresh beef, veal, lamb, pork Fresh poultry Shrimp, scallops, crayfish, squid, shucked clams, mussels and oysters Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, green beens etc.) Cooked shellfish Lean fish (cod, sole, etc.) Fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, etc.) Cooked fish Frozen dinners & entrees Egg, chicken, ham, tuna and macaroni salads Soups and Stews Chicken nuggets, patties Pizza Refrigerator (4 ) 3 to 5 weeks Use by date 2 to 3 days 7 days 3 to 5 days 1 week 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 5 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days Freezer (-18 ) Do not freeze Do not freeze Do not freeze 1 month 6 to 12 months 6 to 12 months 3 to 6 months Do not freeze 3 months 6 months 2 to 3 months 4 to 6 months 3 to 4 months (Keep frozen until ready to heat) Does not freeze well 2 to 3 months 1 to 3 months 1 to 2 months 13 Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore. http://www.ava.gov.sg/foodsector/foodsafetyeducation/resources/food+storage+chart/index.htm
Better planning with mobile apps and ONLINE RESOURCES he althy chef The free Healthy Chef app by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) provides over 70 healthier recipes created by renowned chefs in Singapore. The app teaches you how to adjust the amount of ingredients needed for cooking based on the number of servings. It also helps you to create a shopping list based on the selected recipes. od save faoste cut w Save Food Cut Waste is a website offering tips on food waste reduction and useful information about storing and handling food properly. http://www.savefoodcutwaste.com/ love fo od hate waste The Love Food Hate Waste app allows you to easily keep track of food planning, shopping and cooking meals. It also contains great recipe ideas and tips for using forgotten foods to make great tasting meals.
Handy Shopping List This shopping list helps you plan the ingredients you will need to buy for your meals. Simply follow these four simple steps: Step 1: Think about how many meals you ll need to cook before your next shopping trip. Step 2: Note the amount of fresh food items you ll need. Step 3: Take stock of your own kitchen and pantry, and note down what you already have. Step 4: Head out to buy only what you need. Avoid buying more. Food Item amount of food needed amount I already have amount I need to buy E.g. Eggs Enough for 1 week 2 eggs E.g. Green vegetables Dinner for a week Enough for 1 lunch E.g. Milk 1 carton None E.g. Brown rice Enough for 2 weeks Enough for 2 days
For more information, please visit www.nea.gov.sg