Each person who throws away food waste at lunch in their workplace could generate enough electricity every week to charge a mobile phone 13 times, a poll of 1,000 office workers has found.
The research, commissioned by UK waste management company Biffa, found that despite people taking actions to reduce their food waste at lunch, half of respondents said they throw away part of their lunch in their workplace each week.
The main reasons for throwing away food at lunch was as a result of inedible food waste, such as banana skins or eggshells (45%), busy schedules or plans changing (30%), poor food quality (28%), standard portion sizes too large (25%), and overordering (15%).
The findings come ahead of the forthcoming Simpler Recycling legislation where all businesses in England with 10 or more full-time employees will have to separate plastic, paper, card, glass, metals and food waste from general waste from 31 March 2025 or risk a fine.
76% of people who eat lunch in their workplace are still unaware of the Simpler Recycling scheme.
Commenting on the survey, Maxine Mayhew, Chief Operating Officer, Biffa Collections and Specialist Services at Biffa, said: “It’s clear from our research that there is an urgent need for businesses to improve food waste recycling ahead of Simpler Recycling, but wider awareness and education is also vital.
“By making small changes, we can have an important positive impact on the environment and support a more sustainable future.”
The research also found that 18% of people are dissatisfied with their current recycling options at work, with four in ten not even having a separate food waste bin in their workplace.
