WASTE

biodegradable waste, when sent to landfill, decomposes and produces methane, responsible for over 90% of all emissions from waste management. reducing biodegradable waste sent to landfill through separate food waste collections and paper recycling has, with other measures, helped to reduce emissions from waste by 70% since 1990. on a per household basis, emissions fell from 2050 to 305 kg CO2e from 1990 to 2017.

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the primary means of reducing waste emissions is waste reduction. 

• reducing biodegradable waste like food has a significant effect on emissions. in just 2017, an estimated 10 million tonnes of food and drink were wasted, 60% of which could have been avoided. on an individual level, households can take action to reduce their own food waste during planning, shopping, storage, preparation and consumption of food.

• composting is an effective way of dealing with unavoidable biodegradable waste that can be undertaken, in some cases, on a household level. when properly managed this produces CO2 instead of the more harmful methane, and its product can be used as fertiliser in gardens. for those households unable to compost their waste, separate food waste collection by local councils can help prevent food waste from reaching landfill.

• reducing non-biodegradable waste like paper and plastics can be undertaken through reduce, reuse, recycle. reducing unnecessary consumption, e.g. buying in bulk, avoids emissions both from production and waste disposal. reusing can include buying used products as well as reusing products multiple times. maintenance and repair, where possible, as well as donating instead of disposing of goods, are essential. recycling should be the last of the three methods used by households.