However, the government  has developed the Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy (2017) strategy, with goals and reporting on implementation. One of the four goals  is to increase waste reduction and resource productivity, which includes implementing an action plan to reduce the volume of food and organic waste going to landfills. One is to provide proper storage and handling instructions, near the product display, on small take-away cards. Such measures can be facilitated by regulatory change. The facility and operational requirements provide for various composting and curing methods as well as for composting pads made of different materials. The provincial governments should create funding pools for deadstock infrastructure that are analogous to the programmes that partly subsidize  human waste management. Canada’s long-awaited national food policy is getting $134.4 million over five years, on a cash basis, starting next year, the Trudeau government says. [5] Two OMAFRA factsheets on different approaches to on-farm composting can be found at: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/10-063.htm, and http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/09-031.htm, [6] Those parts of the animal deemed at risk of carrying BSE must be removed and most of that is landfilled.  The volumes have increased since the enhanced feed ban went into effect in 2007 (Koch, 2009), Keele Campus Additionally, interventions can help consumers develop a certain waste tolerance, for example, to accept a package of strawberries, even if one strawberry is damaged or spoiled (Terry, Mena, Williams, Jenney, & Whitehead, 2011). For animals that die off-farm, on-site composting at other locations in the supply chain is not permitted. 6). The shift was designed to provide greater environmental protection and separation of dead from live animals. For example, Parizeau, von Massow, and Martin (2015) found 20% higher levels in a community in Guelph, Ontario than the Statistics Canada study, though the reasons for the higher results are not obvious. In the Ontario system, community composting sites should be exempted under the Environmental Protection Act, if they met the following conditions: Curbside programmes would also need significant modification to create useable compost. First, potential benefits may not be realized if neither the benefactor nor community food organizations have supporting infrastructure. With anaerobic digestion in centralized collection systems, however, facilities have the greatest potential for methane capture which is part of their appeal for the dominant system in an environment of surplus accumulation (see O’Brien, 2013). Education campaign architects must understand the motivations that drive consumers to waste and how consumers frame this issue. the City of Edmonton has taken a unique approach to both solid waste and biosolids management at its composting facility, where 200,000 tonnes of organic municipal solid waste and 100,000 tonnes of biosolids are processed together to produce a compost that is sold to the agricultural, landscaping and land reclamation industries (Forkes, 2011, p. 65). A third example could be radio, television, or print public service announcements, such as the food waste commercial commissioned by the Scottish government in 2014.  Provinces may have existing legislative frameworks to support this, for example, Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act provides the means to finance educational campaigns. The City of Edmonton has been working with the National Zero Waste Council (NZWC) on food waste initiatives. If food loss is caused by non-human factors – weather or pests – the solution is greater mastery over nature: that is, technological innovation. [1] Note that Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs) have not been conducted sufficiently to allow a full comparative assessment of these options (see Morris, Matthews, & Morawski, 2011). They work in partnership with a number of retailers and manufacturers to help achieve these goals. If this is not feasible, either because of the absence of facilities or the challenges of composting certain inedibles (e.g., bones and meat scraps in the presence of rodent and raccoon populations), then community (neighbourhood) composting is preferred, followed finally by residential and business pick up systems for centralized composting[1]. Table 1: Average % food waste of available food for consumption, 1961 to 2009 (adapted from Abdulla et al., 2013). For example, Metro Vancouver’s objective, working in collaboration with WRAP U.K., is to reduce household food waste by 10% by 2018 (Cech, 2016). See also Goal 5, Food Packaging Changes. There are many proposals to take a new approach, with one being considered at an urban farm in NW Toronto, but it is not yet clear what this will produce. At the store level, technology has improved maintenance of correct storage temperatures, moisture removal (hot air in plant tissue holds more moisture), and prevention of over ripening with ethylene scrubbers and bacteria and mould reduction (e.g., with blue light radiation) (Director, Produce Operations, regional retail chain, personal communication, March 25, 2011). The Food Policy for Canada will also help the country meet its commitments under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including to end hunger, promote good health, cut food waste, and encourage sustainable food systems. Friday’s, a chain eatery in the United States, that launched a “Right portion, right price menu” in 2007, where they served about two-thirds of an entrée for two-thirds the regular price. In Canada, $31 billion worth of food ends up in landfills or composters each year, according to a … It is clear, from all the studies, that the levels of food waste in Canada are shockingly high. France (Chrisafis, 2016) and Italy (Samuel, 2016) have now banned edibles from being thrown out by supermarkets. It sets out the application, siting, facility and operational standards and requirements for those centralized deadstock composting facilities. 4. Since the Food and Drugs Act permits the Minister to prevent the sale of products with misleading labels, a regulatory amendment to the effect that the Minister can advise a firm to make changes to its Best Before dates, would then allow for adjustments should the Minister determine the dates to be inaccurate.  Major food corporations have signed on to a call for action, with the objective of standardizing best before dates worldwide by 2020, but it is not clear how they and governments will actually address these problems. Some percentage of the collected material does not get composted at all, in part because of a lack of processing facilities. Food retailers buy the stamps and add them on any product they think should be discounted up to 50%, including vegetables, yogurt, cheese, deli meats, packaged sandwiches, and hummus (Perreault, 2015). The FSQA regulation  provides for centralized composting of deadstock. As highlighted above, this often leaves the supplier literally holding the bag, with nowhere else to sell product and it goes to waste. To promote the use of more protective or innovative packaging by Ontario producers and retailers, producer and retailer organizations can disseminate information to their members on the potential of packaging improvement to reduce waste. There are a number of issues associated with the current programme in Toronto. Peel Region in Ontario found, in recent curbside audits, that 40% of household food waste was avoidable, with 53% coming from leftovers that could have been eaten, and 47% from untouched food (Peel Region, 2016). Gooch et al. ON Canada in Canada, we waste we waste… 470,000 heads of lettuce, 1,200,000 tomatoes, 2,400,000 potatoes, 750,000 loaves of bread, 1,225,000 apples, 555,000 bananas, 1,000,000 cups of milk and 450,000 eggs. The priorities should be on-site composting for farmers wherever feasible and centralized composting facilities for other segments of the food chain. [3] Vidoni (2011), based on US rules.  Note this is also below the MOECC threshold for requiring an EAA. In Ontario, municipal and/or local governments can regulate waste management and recycling activities through their by-laws, including setting in place landfill bans (restricting what materials can be … For animals that die off-farm, the regulations of the Food Quality and Safety Act (FQSA), 2001 are in effect. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment; Federal government, provinces, and territories push forward on a Canada-wide zero-plastic-waste strategy The policy, outlined in Budget 2019, will focus on tackling food waste, improving community access to healthy food, shining a spotlight on Canadian food both at home and abroad, and increasing food […] (416) 736-2100, Regulation 102/94 of the Environmental Protection Act, Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, Ontario Vegetable Processing Marketing Board, Goal 1, Improving Consumer food information, Food and Drug Regulations B.01.007 (1.1)(c), Local Food Act, 2013, the Taxation Act, 2007, Ontario Farm Products Sales and Grades Act, Ontario Bill 45, Making Healthier Choices Act, 2015, schedule IV and V of the Feeds Regulations. By some accounts, one-third of current garbage is still organic waste (Alfred, 2013). The Food Policy for Canada is a roadmap for a healthier and more sustainable food system in Canada – one that builds on the Government’s ambitious agenda to support the growth of Canada’s farmers and food businesses, as well as key federal initiatives like the Heathy Eating Strategy, Canada’s Food Guide, and the Poverty Reduction Strategy, as well as work on food fraud, food labelling, and food loss and … An important related dimension is that the food industry Code of Ethics on advertising must forbid print, radio and TV advertisements from showing food being wasted. In addition to Facebook and Twitter, WRAP U.K. introduced the Love Food Hate Waste App at no charge to communicate with consumers. In a similar vein, a French co-op, Les Gueules Cassées, successfully created a “close to date” expiry label for their range of products. M3J 1P3 If actual diversion is lower than projected due to prevention and reuse resulting from measures proposed here, the current infrastructure may be adequate. Gooch et al. The rules effectively do not permit donation of plate waste from kitchens that also prepare meat, unless they are registered as feeds (CFIA, 2014a), a highly unlikely outcome given other conditions. Coordinating volunteer gleaners from charitable organizations can assist in overcoming high labour costs that deter farmers from harvesting excess or left over fruits and vegetables. Awareness does not always lead to greater understanding of how eaters contribute to the problem and what they can do to reduce waste (Guelph Food Waste Project, 2014). As it relates to food waste, the Efficiency stage is characterized by technological efficiencies, but with attention to O’Brien (2013), excluding initiatives that reinforce capital relations and facilitate capitalist surplus management. Just Eat It is a 74-minute documentary film about food waste and food rescue by Peg Leg Films in partnership with... REPORT: Food Waste in Canada This food waste is … For more on disposal bans, see Substitution. ON Canada An additional initiative would be to post “freeze before” date marks on packaging in combination with best before marks for certain foods (WRAP U.K., 2012). The number of calories available per person in 2007 was 3,384 kilocalories; however, only 71% of the calories purchased were consumed, leaving 29% of the calories produced to go to waste (Statistics Canada, 2009:40). A comparable amendment would be required to B.01.007(1.1)(b) for a prepackaged product having a durable life of 90 days or less and packaged at a place other than the retail premises where it would be sold. Another efficiency stage measure involves changes to food date labels. (2010) report[1], Abdulla et al. One formal response is Ontario Bill 45, Making Healthier Choices Act, 2015, that amended the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Although requiring calorie labeling on menus (into effect on January 1, 2017), it could be further amended to include a provision that meals exceeding 800 calories provide a reduced serving size option that is at least 33% lower in calories. Similar to a Private member's bill C-313 on restricting advertizing to children (see Goal 1, Improving Consumer food information), amendments to the federal Broadcasting Act and regulations would be required if the food industry did not voluntarily comply. Municipalities can use by-laws to set user and tipping fees. They may also take deadstock to rendering facilities, though opportunities for re-using material from ruminants have declined significantly since BSE[6]. Outreach and education to the private sector by the government and private charities may assist in overcoming this limitation. Efforts continue to use the methane generated for electricity production. Global food waste study ranks Canada poorly Back to video Canada was among 17 countries deemed to have high-quality data. State of Waste Management in Canada . This included both edible and inedible waste, but was a conservative estimate because it is impossible to account for all farm, distribution and processing waste. Given the new provincial categorization scheme (OMOE, 2012a), Toronto compost should at least meet “A” compost requirements. The regulation establishes turning, temperature and substrate standards. They describe the anticipated amount of time that an unopened food product, when stored under appropriate conditions, will retain its freshness, taste, nutritional value, or any other qualities claimed by the manufacturer. A variety of date labels are used on foods, including “sell by”, “use by”, best before” and “expiration” dates. It has been documented in the U.S. that stores remove items in advance of these dates in order to maintain their image of carrying only fresh products (Gunders, 2012), and presumably the same occurs in Canadian retail outlets. Bloom (2010, p. 130) states that this programme “proved so profitable that the chain made the promotion permanent a year later”. In the late 2000s, Statistics Canada (2009), concluded that about 38%, or 183 kg per person, of the solid food available for retail sale was wasted in 2007. In U.S. restaurants, diners wasted nine percent of the meals they bought, partly because of increased serving sizes ( Lipinski, Hanson, Waite, Lomax, Kitinoja, & Searchinger, 2013 ). Some of them (e.g., some animal by-products) will need to be progressively de-listed to meet the conditions of the environmental protocols (See Goal 5). "Everyone at the Table": Minister Bibeau announces members of the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council [February 19, 2020] Big and diverse turnout of Food Waste Reduction Challenge applications [February 12, 2021] Government of Canada launches Food Waste Reduction Challenge [November 19, … They are politically acceptable because of their low-cost and accommodation of current food business models. In February 2019, the government brought together several experts from different sectors to share ideas and discuss opportunities for measuring and reducing food loss and waste across the food supply chain. 2010). So, the challenge is locating an appropriate and viable place for the sector as wider shifts in consumption and production take place. Therefore, best before dates do not indicate food safety, as food is still consumable after the best before date has passed (CFIA, 2014). Increase access to affordable food, improving health and food safety. As we discuss later, the avoidable component is a serious underestimate because it assumes the status quo in many production, manufacturing, distribution and consumption practices and is analyzed through the lens of human food recovery, a limited way of examining what is avoidable. Although the MOECC clearly identifies that a successful waste reduction programme has multiple dimensions, the Regulations do not require businesses to include all streams of waste in their action plan, so food waste is often left out of companies’ diversion programmes. A 2014 Metro Vancouver study found that the typical resident purchases too much food and a significant amount goes bad before it can be consumed. Most food premises regulation is implemented at the provincial and municipal levels, but focuses primarily on food safety and does not serve well the changes proposed here. Putting avoidable food waste, such as leftovers or spoiled food, in the Green Bin creates the need for additional resources and management and increases costs. Another common approach is to create “Days”. This suggests it is possible to design a curbside collection programme that can produce high quality compost. China One of the most prominent policies that is taking shape at a faster rate is the organic ban policy that bans the disposal of food waste and other organic wastes in landfills. Although federal regulations dictate how dates are declared (CFIA, 2014), they do not guide how they are calculated. food for consumption: Total fresh fruit: 46.19: Total fruit: 66.93: Total fresh vegetable: 49.91: Total vegetable: 42.66: Total dairy products: 27.57: Eggs: 20.94: Red meat, boneless weight: 39.73: Poultry, boneless weight: 42.74: Total fish (1988 to 2009) 31.21: Total oil and fats: 29.18: Total cereal products: 30.00: Total pulses and nuts: 15.40 The state does not necessarily encourage the most desirable options. The motion also called for national targets and a national food waste reduction strategy but failed to pass. On-site composting has only been permitted since 1996, so it is probably not the favoured option, and if a farm does not already have a suitable composting system, the installation costs can be significant. E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world and its management is one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Public consultations on the Food Policy for Canada took place in 2017. In addition, definitions of food waste and standards for measurement are required to promote consistency and useful comparisons across studies. With around $48.7 billion in sales of agricultural products in 2009, this meant that 55% of food is wasted from farm to fork, as measured against sales (Gooch et al., 2010:16). Material that fails to meet the requirements may be re-composted or disposed of at an approved waste disposal site depending on the regulatory defect(s). Watson and Meah (2013) suggest environmental campaigns will not be very effective unless the ethic of thrift is linked directly via environmentalism. In the U.K., the existence of this directive produced the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), an independent non-profit organization with an international reputation for its research, expertise, and advice in a number of areas including food waste reduction. Given our hierarchy, food waste should first be composted in backyards, on-site at multi–unit residential buildings (MURBs) and at specific activity areas, such as farmers’ markets and regular event locations. The situation is more complex for plate waste from restaurants, institutions and households. Being funded by government bodies such as the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) allows them to build evidence on food waste and the necessary measures to reduce it. Reducing shrink throughout the food supply chain has been possible with technology changes to cold chain management (e.g., making sure all the products and their storage areas, including the truck, are properly temperature controlled), GPS tracking to know where the food is in the distribution chain, and improved packaging. Campaigns can also help consumers improve food purchasing skills, meal planning, leftover use, gauge what is safe to eat, and interpret date labeling. Such materials are not named directly in the Feeds Regulations as they focus on single ingredient feeds and constituents. NZWC is developing a multi-year strategy to reduce food waste. Consumption will decline with animal population shifts and changes in the human diet, which will cause perturbations in the processing by-products markets. The government has implemented a Food Policy for Canada, which is a movement towards a more sustainable food system. Several regions have modest targets. Unfortunately, many consumers are unaware that food recently past its best before dates is usually still edible and waste is the result.  According to Gooch et al. Other jurisdictions, however, provide more guidance, including New South Wales (NSW) Australia (NSW Food Authority, 2010), New Zealand (New Zealand Government, 2012), and the U.K. (U.K. Food Safety Agency, 2011). Food Loss and Waste Strategy for Canada Improved research on food waste permits better goal setting and targeting of initiatives at multiple levels in the policy system. [4] The MOECC states there should be a minimum of 100m between all buildings, processing and storage areas, access roads, the nearest residence, school, place of worship, hospital, and any other public institution, bodies of water.  Such distances are not viable in urban areas. Restaurants without standard plate sizes – buffets, tapas, sushi and dim sum – would probably have to be exempted for logistical reasons. Examples include food scraps, grass clippings and garden waste, soiled paper products (e.g. Dead animals are a significantly, and often invisible, inefficiency in the food system, with multiple dimensions.  The first issue is that many males are disposed of early in their life cycle because with population hierarchies and artificial insemination, not many males are needed on farms.  Consequently, male chicks are killed right after birth.  Male cattle are often slaughtered at an early age, some used for meat, others for industrial applications.  In the industrial food system, the life cycle of many animals is truncated because their productivity falls of.  Animals are killed early and must be disposed of.  The Covid pandemic, because of reduced slaughter at plants where workers fell ill, caused backups in the system resulting in aborted females, and euthanized young.  And then there are animals that live a long life, but must be handled in death. Another approach to facilitate food donations is fostering linkages between volunteers and charitable organizations and producers, food retailers, and food service outlets. Should Canada be sufficiently free of BSE in the medium term, some of the restrictions might be relaxed. National Food Waste Reduction Strategy . The Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) give businesses advice and information on how to implement a waste diversion program. Many households do not perceive food waste to be a significant environmental problem; rather, it is often viewed first and foremost as a social issue (Parizeau et al., 2015). With less than five percent of agricultural research funding allocated to post-harvest systems and loss (Parfitt et al., 2010), additional funding from agencies such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council would potentially enhance our understanding of food waste. For the average Canadian household that amounts to 140 kilograms of wasted food per year – at a cost of more than $1,100 per year! Comparable changes would also be required to provincial regulations, such as the Ontario Farm Products Sales and Grades Act . Food category % food waste of available. In Ontario, the Nutrient Management Act (2002) and regulations largely govern disposal of animals that die on-farm. Licensed collectors can also transport to centralized composting sites, though this is less favoured because of the transport and the challenges with redistribution of compost. (2019) have used more complete data sets to revise their original estimates, though these have yet to be applied to an updated Table 1. In Ontario, municipalities were not required under the 2002 Waste Diversion Act (now replaced by the Waste-free Ontario Act, see below) to collect food waste although most large municipalities do. In an emergency situation (e.g., barn fire, natural disaster), the regulations may be waived and other options approved. Research consistently shows that only about one-quarter of food-insecure households use food banks; most do not, and those who do are not rendered food-secure. To ensure greater consistency, as part of pre-market clearance, companies with products covered by Best Before and Expiry date regulations should identify the method of determining durability and a summary of the data that supports the dates they propose. In order to facilitate food donation and to bolster the effectiveness of the tax credit, capital grants should be provided to improve transportation and storage infrastructure. It reduced waste by four percent (Business Green, 2012). They are designed to ensure that deadstock does not end up in the food chain[. [2] The federal government typically has jurisdiction only over hazardous waste, while non-hazardous waste falls under provincial jurisdiction. Sites at MURBs and event locations are more complex to manage. Nova Scotia has been conducting research on new feed products from organic waste diversion programs (Meikle, 2018). Unfortunately, the procedure for building supporting organic waste processing facilities is long-term and cost prohibitive for many municipalities and businesses (Gooch et al., 2010). Backyard composting requires the least infrastructure and transport. Many local firms, institutions and facilities have also carried out food waste audits (not reported on here). In 2017 the National Zero Waste Council conducted research on household food waste in Canada, and the results were astonishing. Packaging sizes are also problematic, with many too large for small households and serving sizes in restaurants too large for many eaters. WRAP U.K. sets out to minimize resource use and divert valuable waste from going to landfill. About 624,000 tonnes of food processing, slaughter, and rendering by-products  produced industrial bioproducts such as biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials (AAFC, 2017).  The challenge is to ensure that such uses were appropriate given the food waste hierarchy proposed here, and to augment where appropriate. There is some debate about the level at which such fees would encourage alternative behaviour and the question is affected by the degree to which alternative approaches exist, with suitable infrastructure and support. There are some specific guidelines for certain foods and bacteria (e.g., Listeria in ready to eat foods). There are several approaches and tools available to implement educational campaigns. Part of the challenge is the complex array of household characteristics, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that influence food waste, some of which appear to be counter-intuitive (cf. [1] Note that the 2014 update did not substantially change percentages. Belonging to the broad category of Recycled Food Products (RFPs), their use is now highly constrained. Unfortunately, the lack of transparency from these waste audits makes it difficult for those outside the retail sector to ascertain whether these companies are meeting any of their commitments. This could be considered in Canada in the future. Toronto’s Green Bin program was designed for unavoidable food waste (e.g. Agri-food corporations may even benefit by promoting positive images of their commitment to consumer cost-savings, sustainability, and feeding the hungry. The strategy is built on three pillars: policy change, innovation and behaviour change. Such feeds are typically only given to pigs, and only as a part of their diet. Read more about food waste in Canada. Providing extension and consulting services to design and executive an optimal strategy is paramount. The federal Feeds Act and Regulations permit many kinds of plant, fish and animal processing by-products as animal feed (see schedule IV and V of the Feeds Regulations), and there is a relatively well established infrastructure (from farm, processing and rendering facilities) for using such materials as feeds. From an agroecological perspective, composting on-site is the most desirable option if there is a suitable land base for cycling the nutrients, followed by on-site anaerobic digestion if the digester collects methane and the residue can be properly distributed as nutrients. 4700 Keele Street, Toronto In the WRAP U.K. partnership with Metro Vancouver, such campaign strategies are being attempted in the Canadian setting (Goodwin, 2014). Much of the composting is anaerobic which generally reduces nutrient quality in the residue that is subsequently aerobically composted in windrows. Reliable waste estimates and an understanding of the causes are needed to identify where food waste can be efficiently minimized. Compared to the 2002 Waste Diversion Act, the new Waste-free Ontario Act places greater emphasis on resource recovery, the circular economy, waste reduction and producer responsibility for waste. A fuller treatment of packaging issues is provided under Goal 4 and Goal 5 Food Packaging Changes. Both the E.U. (2019), date codes contribute significantly to meat/poultry and grain product waste. The report found that the average Canadian wastes 79 kilograms of food a year at home, more than the average American at 59 kg and similar to the amount wasted by the average person in the United Kingdom at 77 kg. Canadian renderers report a 50% decline in deadstock material picked up since the implementation of service charges (Koch, 2009), but some environmental organizations are opposed to on-site composting for fear of negative water quality impacts (Vandusen, 2010). The City of Toronto’s Green Bin Program (GBP) is one of the largest organic waste diversion programmes in North America but until recently did not have the capacity to make compost from all its organic waste.

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