Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 March 2022
244. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to reduce the amount of waste associated with food packaging and food waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13189/22]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) works closely with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), the Environmental Protection Agency, and other relevant state agencies, to pursue ambitious food waste reductions and other measures that contribute towards a sustainable food chain in the agri-food sector including food waste and loss inside the farm gate,
Food Vision 2030, the stakeholder led strategy for the sustainable development of the sector, sets out a number of actions to reduce food loss and food packaging including working with stakeholders to develop a National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap, which is currently under public consultation led by DECC, as well as actions involving reducing packaging, pursuing more sustainable packaging and undertaking research on the extent of food loss at the primary production stage.
The existing work streams in my Department and its agencies with regard to reducing food waste and food packaging, include the following:
- Funding supports for initiatives to promote the reduction of food waste generated by food businesses, retailer/wholesalers or suppliers in rural areas is provided under the Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund.
- In relation to fisheries, the discards ban or Landing Obligation is a key element of the Common Fisheries Policy, which was phased in over a number of years and has been fully implemented since 2019. This policy requires that catches of fish must be landed and may not be discarded at sea.
- In relation to the Bioeconomy, my Department co-chairs the high-level Bioeconomy Implementation Group, along with DECC. One of its key actions is to examine ways of turning biowaste, nutrients, food processing residues and discards into valuable resources, by establishing the conditions required for their commercial development and viability. Using the bio-economy approach, unavoidable waste can be recycled and valorised. Additionally, advances in recycling polymer and bio-based packaging offer solutions for more sustainable food packaging. Bioeconomy funding opportunities are provided through the relevant national research funders including my Department.
- Support for research into food shelf life, packaging and related issues is provided to food businesses through the Prepared Consumer Food Centre at Teagasc, Ashtown, which is funded by my Department;
- There are also initiatives by Bord Bia under the Origin Green programme, which encourage food businesses to set targets to reduce food waste.
I am committed to ensuring a reduction in our food waste and supporting measures to reduce food packaging. By reducing food waste, we help to reduce green house gas emissions and we also show our farmers, fishers and other food producers that we value their work and the safe and nutritious food they work all year round to provide.
