Food waste
Began 12 August 2020
In Canberra, 86% of residents say they want to reduce their food waste. We have free ideas and resources to help you do it. Take the Food Waste Challenge so the food you buy goes into mouths, not landfill. Be kind to the planet, while saving money.
About the program
Every year, Australians waste thousands of dollars by throwing away edible food.
Food waste takes up one-third of our rubbish bins. One in 5 bags of groceries ends up in the bin.
We want to help ACT residents reduce food waste at home. Find free, inspiring ideas, recipes, facts and resources to help avoid throwing food away:
- Plan your meals
- Use a shopping list
- Store your food properly
- Love your leftovers
- Take the Food Waste Challenge
The ACT Government has commenced a pilot project collecting food scraps from around 5,000 households in Belconnen, Bruce, Cook and Macquarie. This is known as FOGO (food organics and garden organics). The bins in the pilot suburbs will be collected each week and processed into compost right here in Canberra.
How it works
Check out our tips to help you take action every day to reduce food waste.
The 3-week Food Waste Challenge focuses on simple actions that ensure the food you buy and prepare gets eaten. Thousands of people in the ACT have already taken the challenge. And 70% told us they saved up to $50 a week on their grocery bills.
Who can take part
Anyone can reduce food waste and take the Food Waste Challenge. It starts with small, simple choices.
Cost
It's free to take the Food Waste Challenge and reduce your food waste. It may even save you money.
Why it's important
Wasting food has a huge effect on climate change. Producing the food that gets wasted takes valuable resources. Land, water, transport, refrigeration and packaging all contribute to the climate cost of food.
Food waste in landfill produces methane. Methane is more potent than carbon dioxide in global warming.
In 2019, 74% of Australia's food waste in landfill came from households. See the National Food Waste Baseline (PDF, 3MB).
In the ACT, around 26,000 t of household food waste goes to landfill each year.
Small choices make a huge difference to our planet. Avoiding food waste will help you save money and be good to the planet.
Contact us
Food waste team
Transport Canberra and City Services
Email no_waste@act.gov.au
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.