Question reference: S6W-02454
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 23 August 2021
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Current status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 September 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the most recent baseline update is for (a) household and (b) commercial and industrial food waste arisings.
Answer
The most recent baseline data is contained within the 2016 Zero Waste Scotland report How Much Food is Wasted in Scotland? | Zero Waste Scotland . This report uses 2013 data and is broken down as follows:
- Household (solid and liquid waste) – 598,946 tonnes (60.6%)
- Food and drink manufacturing – 248,230 tonnes (25.1%)
- Other sectors – 140,714 tonnes (14.2%)
- The total of 987,890 tonnes covers all quantifiable food and drink waste in Scotland and provides a baseline for the Scottish Government’s flagship target to reduce all food waste arising in Scotland by 33% by 2025. Food losses incurred in primary production are currently excluded from the baseline figures. A Waste Composition Analysis, originally planned for 2021 but delayed due to Covid-19, is being carried out by Zero Waste Scotland this year and more detailed information will be available once that work concludes.