Reducing your food waste is a great way to save money and minimise your impact on the environment.

How big is the problem?

According to Sustainability Victoria, the average Victorian household throws away $2,136 of wasted food every year. This adds up to 250,000 tonnes of wasted food from households in Victoria, enough to fill Melbourne's Eureka Tower.

Why is food waste a problem?

When food waste decomposes in landfill, it emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This contributes to climate change and affects our air quality and public health.

Audits of our trucks show that around 59% of the food waste we send to landfill is avoidable. This means it was purchased with the intention of being eaten but was instead thrown away.

Working towards a circular economy

The State Government has set targets for Councils to work towards as part of their plan for a circular economy. These targets include:

• Diverting 80% of waste from landfill by 2030, with an interim target of 72% reduction by 2025.
• Halving the volume of organic material going to landfill by 2030, with an interim target of 20% reduction by 2025.

We can all be part of the solution and make a positive difference, no matter the size or type of home that we live in.