'˜Half of our waste food is fine to eat' says Doncaster recycling boss

Doncaster's recycling bosses say that nearly half the food thrown away in the town could have been eaten.
Salcare, bags ready for collection in the food bankSalcare, bags ready for collection in the food bank
Salcare, bags ready for collection in the food bank

The concerns are being raised at a time when foodbanks are operating across the borough because people do not have enough food. BDR Waste Partnership, based near Mexborough, says over 40 per cent of the leftover household waste it receives is made up of food which did not need to be binned.

Now they are backing a campaign to cut the figure.

The Mansfield Woodhouse Food BankThe Mansfield Woodhouse Food Bank
The Mansfield Woodhouse Food Bank

Community Education Liaison Officer, Abi Cox, based at BDR’s waste treatment facility at Manvers, said: “This avoidable food waste, which at some point could have been eaten, amounts to 40,800 tonnes a year across BDR – the equivalent of £60 per household

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“We know that most people don’t like waste and throwing food in the bin, and we hope this campaign will help us all re-think how we shop, plan our meals better and use up leftovers. Together we can make a big difference.

“There will always be some food waste that is inevitable, and this should be composted or wrapped before being disposed of in bins.”

Food waste reduction charity WRAP aims to raise awareness of food waste through its Love Food Hate Waste campaign.

The Mansfield Woodhouse Food BankThe Mansfield Woodhouse Food Bank
The Mansfield Woodhouse Food Bank

It shows that people can use less food.

BDR will run an event in Doncaster at Clock Corner, Doncaster Monday 15 May, to promote the campaign and show what people can do to avoid wasting food.

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Doncaster reidents took to social media to give their views on the issue.

Johnathan Revell said people should consider the best before dates on packaging; He said: “Dates are only a guide to cover the supermarkets arse. Food is perfectly fine after the “best before” date.”

“Eggs for example, I’ve eaten these a few months past their best before date.

“Keep them in a fridge.”

Andrea Wright said: “If our food didn’t have such a short eat by date and was actually out in the shelf in good time we wouldn’t need to throw it away. Do they actually believe we are well off an can afford to bin it instead of eating it?”

Heather Bird Davison said: “Food banks are up by 700 percent apparently. So who the hell is wasting their food?”