Foodlaw-Reading
Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Commission consultation, 7 July 2023
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Commission consultation: Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste A copy of the proposal for a Directive is available on this site (click on image). The Commission has also provided a number of additional supporting documents. These are available from the main consultation page - see: Food waste – reduction targets |
The consultation is open until 10 September 2023. To reply to the consultation, see the main consultation page: Food waste – reduction targets.
Summary
Food waste depletes our natural resources and generates greenhouse gas emissions. This flagship initiative, which is part of the EU’s farm to fork strategy, aims to propose legally binding targets to reduce food waste. These targets will help limit the food supply chain’s impact on the environment and climate and ensure more food is available for human consumption, thereby creating a more sustainable food system.
The following is the opening section of the Explanatory Memorandum
Reasons for and objectives of the proposal
The European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan call for reinforced and accelerated EU and Member State action to ensure environmental sustainability of the textiles and food sectors as they represent top resource intensive sectors causing significant negative environmental externalities, where financing and technological gaps impede progress towards the transition to a circular economy and decarbonisation. Food and textiles are the first and the fourth most resource intensive sectors respectively and that do not fully adhere to the fundamental EU waste management principles set out by the waste hierarchy which require the prioritisation of waste prevention followed by preparation for re-use and recycling.
Reflecting on the commitments made, this proposal to amend the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) focuses on two resource intensive sectors: textiles and food, with the following general objectives:
– To reduce environmental and climate impacts, increase environment quality and improve public health associated with textiles waste management in line with the waste hierarchy,
– To reduce the environmental and climate impacts of food systems associated with food waste generation. Preventing food waste would also contribute to food security.
