Household Food Waste Research Articles

PROSPECTS OF WASTE TO ENERGY FROM CONTROLLED LANDFILL SYSTEM IN CIREBON, WEST JAVA

This research aimed to examine the potential of waste from controlled landfills a raw material for a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant. The research employed the qualitative method with direct observation. Data were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the composition of waste in Cirebon was mostly dominated by household food waste (52.41%), followed by plastic (15.58%) and paper (8.05%). Based on the amount of existing waste and the projected amount in Cirebon City and Cirebon Regency, the waste can potentially be used as raw material for WtE plant. The energy generated from this waste can be sold to PLN, creating a positive utilization of the waste. It is projected that Cirebon City will produce 1319 m3/day of waste, and Cirebon Regency will produce 4767.65 m3/day (1161.26 tons/day) in 2023. Therefore, further research is needed to develop appropriate, efficient, and environmentally friendly technology for the municipal solid waste management system in Cirebon.

Exploratory Investigation of Consumer Consciousness in the Case of Food Purchase and Consumption

Food waste refers to discarding food that could have been saved with a bit of caution. It can happen at any point in the food supply chain: during production and transportation, at retail outlets, and in our homes. In developing nations, food waste primarily occurs in the fields, post-harvest, and during processing due to inadequate technology. A central aspect of mindful eating habits is the relationship individuals have with the food they purchase and eat, and their efforts to minimize waste. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about a third of all food produced is wasted before it gets to the consumer. A study by NEBIH researchers into the behaviors causing household food waste identified income, age, education, and location as key sociodemographic factors. Our theory suggests that consumer awareness during the buying process doesn’t significantly impact the quantity of food bought and consumed. More people discuss conscious buying decisions than actually implement them. This paper presents the findings of a preliminary study on the link between food purchases and consumer awareness, based on detailed interviews. These findings will form the foundation for future quantitative research that could offer a more comprehensive understanding of consumers’ mindful food buying and eating habits.JEL Code: M31

Análise exploratória das causas do desperdício de alimentos em lares romenos

ABSTRACT: Reducing food waste became a priority in the past decades for the majority of nations around the world. But while the interest in this topic is high, not all countries, including Romania - our case study- accurately estimate household food waste quantities. Determining the reality of food waste at household levels is highly valuable because in the end, it can bring insight into what would be the best methods to reduce waste and optimize resource consumption. The current study determined the causes, quantities, and main components of food waste in Romanian households by applying and subsequently analyzing a food waste survey. Our purpose was to determine not only how much food Romanians throw away per week, but also what type of food. In addition, by studying the households’ consumption habits we identified the main behavioral triggers of food waste. By applying the survey to a relevant sample of our country’s population, we obtained a relatively accurate depiction of food waste attitudes among Romanian consumers and our paper can be a starting point in developing an educational tool aiming to reduce food waste in households. This type of study is important not only for informational reasons but also from a societal standpoint. As a complex community, part of larger international structures and agreements, (such as the European Union, the United Nations, or The Paris Agreement on Climate Change), Romania needs to align itself with the other partners in order to decrease the negative impact on the environment of food waste.

Waste or resource? Investigating the interplay of structural d waste managers' household food waste interventions.

Globally, food waste is a significant environmental, economic and social issue. Food waste in landfill creates the potent greenhouse gas, methane, contributing to climate change, with its management predominantly falling to local governments. Despite efforts by many countries, and extensive infrastructure and market development funding, food waste continues to be landfilled, with apparently similar councils taking diverse approaches. Using a mixed methods study design, data was firstly collected from a National online survey of Australian council-based waste management staff (n = 183), with descriptive and factor analysis of the survey data revealing a strong sense of structural empowerment (PCA.75 to.90) and a preference for sourcing information from networks (48%). These results informed a series of semi-structured interviews (n = 43) which, after thematic analysis, provided rich insights into the attitudinal and situational interpretations council-based waste managers bring to decisions around household food waste management. Framed by four pillars of Structural Empowerment, the findings suggest that waste manager's attitude is equally as important as support, resources, and knowledge and that, despite mandates and targets, individual motivational factors and organisational paradigms determined decision-making. Identified barriers included perceived capacity constraints, inadequate focus on actionable interventions, and fragmented, uninspiring, planning. This article provides important insights around 1) leveraging networks for knowledge dissemination, 2) fostering capacity-building initiatives, and 3) advocating for sustained engagement with food waste diversion within councils. This underscores the need for additional research into evolving council typologies and effectively engaging key stakeholders to achieve food waste diversion targets and address climate change impacts.

Urban household food waste behavior and reduction strategies in China: A case study of Zhengzhou city

Urban household food waste behavior and reduction strategies in China: A case study of Zhengzhou city

Exploratory Investigation of Consumer Consciousness in the Case of Food Purchase and Consumption

Food waste refers to discarding food that could have been saved with a bit of caution. It can happen at any point in the food supply chain: during production and transportation, at retail outlets, and in our homes. In developing nations, food waste primarily occurs in the fields, post-harvest, and during processing due to inadequate technology. A central aspect of mindful eating habits is the relationship individuals have with the food they purchase and eat, and their efforts to minimize waste. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about a third of all food produced is wasted before it gets to the consumer. A study by NEBIH researchers into the behaviors causing household food waste identified income, age, education, and location as key sociodemographic factors. Our theory suggests that consumer awareness during the buying process doesn’t significantly impact the quantity of food bought and consumed. More people discuss conscious buying decisions than actually implement them. This paper presents the findings of a preliminary study on the link between food purchases and consumer awareness, based on detailed interviews. These findings will form the foundation for future quantitative research that could offer a more comprehensive understanding of consumers’ mindful food buying and eating habits.JEL Code: M31

Exploring the psychological determinants of household's intention to reduce food waste: Insight from Yogyakarta Indonesia

Food waste's negative effects on the environment and monetary losses have made it a major concern. Food waste at the consuming stage has been directly affected by customer purchasing behaviour. Moreover, the majority of food waste happens within households. This means examining the reasons behind household food waste behaviour is a potential safeguard against food waste issues. This research aimed to analyze household food waste behavior in the Special Region of Yogyakarta after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted with a questionnaire survey from June to July 2023 to households in the Yogyakarta Special Region. Data was collected purposively using online and offline methods simultaneously. A total of 245 responses were obtained, and 203 were valid for use. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used as the analytical method. The research results showed that psychological factors such as attitudes, perceived behavioral control, emotions, moral beliefs, and knowledge about food management influenced households' intentions to reduce food waste. By examining the factors that affect food waste, it is hoped that this research will advance our understanding of trends in food waste behavior at the household consumer level in developing nations.

New insights into the link between pro-environmental attitudes and household food waste behaviours in China: Moderating effect of shopping distance.

Environmental attitude, value and awareness are widely believed to help reach the goal of cutting global food waste, but these psychological and cognitive factors are not always good predictors of wasteful behaviours. Notably, it is still unclear how the role of pro-environmental attitude (PEA) in reducing household food waste (HFW) changes with grocery shopping distance. To this end, using 7319 households survey data from China, this study investigates the moderating effect of shopping distance on the link between PEA and HFW behaviour. The results of Tobit regressions show that PEA is an important predictor of actual HFW behaviour in the absence of the constraint of shopping distance. However, the expansion of shopping distance will weaken the positive role of PEA in reducing HFW. It indicates that, due to the temporal and financial constraints generated by shopping distance, there is a certain degree of hypothetical deviation between the wasteful behaviours that individuals actually exhibit and their stated PEA. Our findings, from the perspective of the moderating effect of shopping distance, explain why some individuals deviate from their stated PEA in HFW behaviour, which provides a new insight into the generation of 'attitude-behaviour' gap. Therefore, policy interventions that merely enhancing environmental education may have limited effect on reducing food waste; instead, the promotion of citizen environmental ethics should be combined with efforts to improve the accessibility of retail infrastructures.

Effect of reactor temperature and feeding ratio on fed-batch composting of household food waste and green wastes

Currently, most regions of China still treat household food waste (HFW) in a centralized way, which increases the cost of collection and transportation. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a novel technology to treat HFW on site. In this study, a fed-batch reactor was designed to investigate the effect of reactor temperature and feeding ratio on the co-composting of HFW and green wastes (GW). The results showed that an increase in reactor temperature could promote composting efficiency and compost end-product maturity. When the reactor temperature was 50 °C, the moisture (4.1%), weight loss rate (87.3%), organic matter (OM) content (66.1%), and seed germination index (74.1%) of the compost reached the optimum. When the feeding ratio was 2:1, the decomposition rate of OM was the fastest, and the weight loss rate, OM content, and C/N ratio of the compost were 89.3%, 63.1%, and 12.6, respectively. According to the first-order kinetics, it was found that the reactor temperature had a greater impact on fed-batch composting than the feeding ratio. This study suggested that fed-batch composting is a promising technique for the utilization of HFW and GW and provided guidance for the scale-up application of bed-batch reactors.

Balancing Inventory Management: Genetic Algorithm Optimization for A Novel Dynamic Lot Sizing Model in Perishable Product Manufacturing

In Indonesia, the significant role of perishable products in food wastage has placed the country fourth globally in household food waste. Managing inventory for such products, with their short shelf life and stringent safety standards, emphasizes the need for efficient lot sizing planning. This study introduces a novel Dynamic Lot-Sizing (DLS) model, addressing perishable products and inventory constraints across multiple products, periods, and varying demands. The model aims to optimize production quantity and binary production, minimizing overall system costs. Employing a Genetic Algorithm (GA), this research solves the DLS model under constrained and unconstrained inventory capacities. Real-case data from a bread manufacturing company validates the model, while sensitivity analysis examines perishability's impact on the solution and model performance. The DLS-GA model not only reduces system costs but also effectively considers product perishability, offering optimal production plans.

Influence of labor migration on rural household food waste in China: Application of propensity score matching (PSM)

Food waste has emerged as a critical global concern, with households identified as major contributors to this pressing issue. As the world grapples with sustainability challenges, addressing food waste in the context of rural labor migration is crucial for achieving broader sustainable development goals. However, there is still limited research regarding the relationship between labor migration and food waste. We utilized propensity score matching to analyze cross-sectional data collected from 1270 rural households in China. Labor migration led to significant increases of 37% in overall food waste and 35% in plant-based food waste, respectively. Furthermore, households with labor migration exhibited 29%, 31%, and 30 % higher energy, protein, and carbohydrate waste, respectively, compared to non-migration households. Regarding micronutrients, migration led to a 39% increase in iron waste, a 42% increase in zinc waste, and a 47% increase in selenium waste. The results of the categorical analysis indicate variations in the impact of labor migration on food wastage within rural households. Food wastage in rural households with chronic illness patients responds differently to labor migration. Moreover, labor migration predominantly affects households without courier services in villages, where dietary diversity plays a significant role. Understanding these variations is essential for crafting targeted interventions and policies to address food waste in different rural contexts. The policy implications of our study are crucial for addressing food waste and advancing sustainable development in rural China, where labor migration plays a significant role.

Quantitative Analysis of Household Food Waste Collection in Warsaw: Assessing Efficiency and Waste Minimization

Food waste management is one of the key challenges of the circular economy and climate transition policies. The proper collection of food waste is the starting point for its further value recovery. Most of the quantitative and qualitative data used to measure the scale of food waste in households and its collection are based on statistical data, diaries, and questionnaires. There is a visible gap in research in terms of the use of direct research methods. This paper presents the results of a quantitative research study on household food waste accumulation and collection in Warsaw from two sources: single-family and multi-family households. The results of the study indicate that in Warsaw households, one can expect generation at the level of 33.4 kg·capita−1·year−1 of avoidable food waste and 38.2 kg·capita−1·year−1 of unavoidable food waste. The average food waste collection rate from households in Warsaw was determined to be at a level of 19.6 kg·capita−1·year−1. In multi-family buildings, which are dominant in Warsaw, this rate is half as pronounced (17.3 kg·capita−1·year−1) compared to single-family buildings (36.2 kg·capita−1·year−1). The average food waste collection efficiency rate from Warsaw households was at a level of 32%. Avoidable food waste accounted for 47% of all food waste generated. The study indicates a growing need to develop policy tools to support the separate collection and prevention of food waste.

Household food waste: A meta-analysis

Household food waste (FW) continues to be an important topic as population growth is rising and thereby global food security is still at large. The amount of data on FW varies widely. Worldwide 78 kg per capita and year of food is wasted, ranging from 10 kg (South Africa) to 189 kg (Nigeria). Global estimates heretofore suggest that households in developed countries waste more food than households in developing countries. We use a systematic literature review based on the UN Food Waste Index Report to carry out a meta-analysis to investigate the differences between countries’ per capita household FW. We use economic and social indicators as well as data collection methods to account for the variations in FW. We find that the amounts of FW are similar for different human development stages, but education significantly reduces FW. A higher GDP, however, goes along with higher levels of FW. West Asia, regions do not show statistically significant differences. The survey method also has an impact on the level of household FW; questionnaires show significantly higher records of FW.

Determinants of municipal‐level household food waste

AbstractThis research investigates the long‐run determinants of per capita food waste, using a monthly time series dataset collected from the Taipei City Food Scraps Recycling Program, covering a span of 19 years. In addition, this research introduces a new proxy for the food wastage rate, gauged by the ratio of edible‐to‐inedible food scraps. The results of time‐series cointegration analysis show that per capita edible food scraps and socioeconomic factors are bound together over the long run. Specifically, per capita edible food waste displays a positive co‐movement with food price, the working‐age share, and household size, while exhibiting a negative co‐movement with the old‐age share. This insight empowers policymakers with the ability to foresee and tackle the food waste problem by acting on the municipality's demographic and economic structural change. Our analysis complements the existing studies that depend on cross‐sectional individual‐level data by adopting a long‐run municipal‐level time series perspective. [EconLit Citations: Q11, Q13, Q18, D1].

PENGARUH PRETREATMENT BAHAN KIMA DAN BIOLOGI TERHADAP AKUMULASI VOLUME BIOGAS DARI LIMBAH MAKANAN

PENGARUH PRETREATMENT BAHAN KIMA DAN BIOLOGI TERHADAP AKUMULASI VOLUME BIOGAS DARI LIMBAH MAKANAN

Become resilient and sustainable in pro-environmental: the role of theory planned behavior on food waste and responsible consumption

The dilemma between fulfilling consumption and sustainability aspects is very pronounced in developing countries like Indonesia. The large population and busy activities of the population mean that people’s consumption patterns are high, which puts them at risk of producing amounts of waste that are not environmentally friendly. This study explores insights into responsible consumption that occurs among people in Indonesia. Data was collected from 196 Indonesian consumer households. A five-point Likert scale was used in the research questionnaire. PLS-SEM is used to measure the structural model. The results showed that subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and responsible consumption play an important role in household food waste behavior.

US Consumers' Awareness, Purchase Intent, and Willingness to Pay for Packaging That Reduces Household Food Waste.

Food waste is a barrier to the development of sustainable food systems, and a large portion of it occurs at the household level. Household food waste can be decreased by using appropriate packaging. Despite the high rate of food waste in US households, little is known about how packaging affects this. This study assessed US consumers' awareness of how structural packaging designs and technologies affect food freshness and their willingness to purchase and to pay extra for packaging designed to reduce household food waste. To gather data, 1000 US consumers were surveyed online. Responses were analyzed overall and by population segments. The impacts of only 3 out of 15 structural packaging designs on maintaining food freshness were known by >50% of consumers. Regarding packaging technologies, while 78% of consumers knew about the impact of vacuum packaging on maintaining food freshness, just 27.6, 23, and 16% knew how modified atmosphere packaging, active packaging, and aseptic packaging affected food freshness. Only 32% of consumers knew that intelligent packaging provides information on food freshness. Just 9% of consumers recognized that foods in plastic pouches and cans possess the same food freshness. Approximately 91% of consumers will always/sometimes buy food in most of the above packaging technologies after learning about them. Half were willing to pay more for food in packages that reduce household food waste, and 40% may. Differences (p ≤ 0.05) and two-way interactions were observed between population segments. This study's findings can help develop new packaging, education campaigns, and policies to reduce household food waste in the US.

Development and validation of a social impact questionnaire for household food waste

This exploratory study was conducted to develop and validate an instrument for measuring the social impact of food waste at the household level. A mixed methodology was employed, commencing with a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, to identify the social impact of food waste at the household level. This was followed by a quantitative assessment of the questionnaire's validity and reliability. The process involved seven experts for content validity testing, 150 households for face validity testing, and 202 households for reliability testing. The content validity revealed an I-CVI 0.86-1 and a kappa statistic 0.85-1. The face validity demonstrated I-FVI ≥ 0.90 and S-FVI ≥ 0.95. Additionally, the Cronbach's alpha for the reliability test was 0.743. The questionnaire proved to be a simple, valid, and reliable instrument for measuring the social impact of household food waste.•Mixed method used in developing and validating the questionnaire.•Content validity, face validity, and reliability testing to evaluate a newly developed instrument.

Consumer behaviour and household food waste in Greece

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the issue of household food waste in Greece, with an emphasis on assessing the level of awareness and key behaviours among consumers. Moreover, the study focuses on examining consumer behaviours related to food waste and identifying distinct consumer profiles that can provide valuable insights into the issue in order to uncover unique behavioural factors and offer targeted interventions to curb food waste in the country.Design/methodology/approachA nationwide survey was conducted in Greece using a structured online questionnaire, which was sent to 1,270 participants, through the snowball technique. However, due to some incomplete responses, only 1,238 of the responses were considered suitable for analysis. Common descriptive statistics were used to sketch the respondents' profiles, and a non-hierarchical K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct subgroups in the sample.FindingsThe study revealed a significant level of food waste awareness among Greek consumers. The cluster analysis identified four distinct consumer groups and substantial differences among them. Notably, sociodemographic analysis underscored a pronounced inclination towards food wastage among younger individuals. Additionally, each cluster's attributes, including their environmental awareness, shopping behaviours meal-planning tendencies and propensity for excess purchases, were examined. Consequently, this study underscored the imperative for targeted informational campaigns tailored for consumer segmentation, offering a pathway to identify prospective interventions conducive to the promotion of sustainable food-consumption practices.Originality/valueThe originality and value of this work lie in its unique focus on addressing the significant issue of household food waste within the context of Greece. What sets this study apart is the application of non-hierarchical K-means cluster analysis (which allowed the authors to identify distinct consumer profiles), a method not widely utilised in the Greek context. By filling this knowledge gap, this study offers crucial insights that can inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing food waste, in alignment with global sustainability initiatives such as the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the European Union's “Farm to Fork” strategy. Additionally, this study contributes to the efforts to provide innovative solutions to prevent household food waste and foster a sustainable future in an ever-changing international environment marked by various crises

Food waste in Indian households: status and potential solutions

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), India had the highest number of undernourished people in the world in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the problem of world hunger (WHO 2021). According to the Food Waste Index Report, 2021, by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), 931 million tonnes of food waste was produced in 2019, with households accounting for 61%, food services for 26%, and retail for 13%. The report estimates that Indian households generate 50 kg of food waste per capita per year, resulting in total of 68,760,163 tonnes annually. This study aimed to investigate the reasons for food waste in Indian households and potential solutions to minimize or control food waste using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Reasons for food waste include miscalculations in meal preparation, a lack of appreciation for food, and a weakening of traditional Indian value systems. The study identified two potential solutions for controlling or eliminating food waste: exploring alternative methods of food consumption and enhancing the family culture surrounding food. The study results could potentially guide policymakers and planners in designing policies to address the problem of food waste in Indian households.