Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Edith Cowan University in my electorate is addressing the environmental issue of food wastage in our society, through an innovative program called ReFood: the Food Sharing Network. The program utilises information technology to aid the distribution of surplus food to the needy via relief agencies, minimising wastage.

With over four million tonnes of food ending up in landfill each year, food waste is a national problem that costs Australia an estimated $8 billion per annum. Australian households discard up to 20 per cent of the food they purchase each year, weighing on average 345 kilograms per family. The average Australian household discards $1,036 worth of food every year. Across our nation, the volume of food waste is enough to fill 450,000 garbage trucks each year.

Studies investigating food waste in Australia suggest the preconsumer stage of the food production chain generates the greatest amount of food waste. This includes food manufacturers, processing sectors and retailers. Between 20 per cent and 40 per cent of fresh fruit and vegetables are rejected even before they reach the shops, because they don't meet consumers' and supermarkets' high cosmetic standards. Furthermore, the competitive requirement for food-and-beverage outlets to stock a wide range of product lines and offer extensive menu options results in surplus inventory.

Commercial food outlets are faced with perishable foods with relatively short shelf-lives, unsold stock, leftovers and products exceeding their best-before dates. The environmental impact of producing food which ultimately goes to waste without being consumed initially occurs at the agricultural production stage and is further compounded by the effects of disposal in landfill. When food decomposes with other organics in landfill, it produces methane, which is a greenhouse gas that retains 25 times more heat than carbon dioxide.

Concurrently many community groups and charities find it difficult to access donations of food. The ECU ReFood project is a not-for-profit initiative that provides a network for small businesses such as restaurants, cafes and supermarkets to easily donate excess food to community relief organisations. A number of local organisations can participate, including the Salvation Army, Spiers Centre, Foodbank, Margaret Court Community Outreach, i60 community services and other charities providing food relief services.

ReFood uses a mobile phone application which allows businesses to automatically notify community groups in the area that surplus food is available for collection. It also allows business operators to track their food donations for tax deductibility purposes. Information technology is being applied to meet the need within our community by connecting aid agencies with providers with an oversupply of food on a timely basis.

The ReFood project, led by ECU PhD student Eleonora Stojanoska was recently awarded a grant by the Waste Authority WA, and a pilot is scheduled to run in the City of Swan later this year with the aim to reduce food waste, increase food relief available and improve the sense of community within groups involved. The ReFood sharing network project is a great example of the organisational culture and ethos of innovation at Edith Cowan University which has the potential to provide both environmental and social benefits to businesses and community groups and, if successful, will spread to other local government areas, including the cities of Joondalup and Wanneroo.

It is commendable to see how our local university engages with the community in delivering practical solutions to real-world problems. This gives rise to the old adage, 'Waste not, want not'.