June 6, 2022
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysians nonetheless waste lots of meals, regardless of having to shell out more cash for meals these days.
Every single day we dumped four,081 tons of edible meals, sufficient to fill one and a half Olympic-size swimming swimming pools, final yr throughout the nation.
This quantity is out of the overall of 38,219 tons of stable waste generated in Malaysia each day in 2021.
Merely put, about 10% of the rubbish we throw away each day is meals that may nonetheless be eaten.
These numbers are based mostly on the latest information from the Public Cleansing and Strong Waste Administration Company (SWCorp) made obtainable to The Star.
“Folks in Malaysia generated 17,007 tons of meals waste per day in 2021.
“The bulk (76%) had been inedible just like the pits and pores and skin of the fruit, whereas the remaining 24% might nonetheless be consumed as leftover meat and greens,” SWCorp mentioned.
Nevertheless, the quantity of meals thrown away final yr was barely decrease than the 17,041 tons per day recorded in 2020.
Beforehand, Malaysians had been reported to provide meals waste that may fill seven Olympic swimming swimming pools each day.
Of this determine, some four,089 tons are nonetheless edible and sufficient to feed three million individuals with three meals a day.
With dearer meals being offered as of late, SWCorp urged the general public to plan their meals and purchases.
“Examine your fridge earlier than you store to keep away from shopping for meals you have already got.
“Preserve and manage meals on a ‘first in, first out’ foundation by labeling meals with the date you set them away and placing older ones in entrance or on prime so you employ them first,” mentioned SWCorp, which often implements consciousness packages by its “Worth Meals No Waste” marketing campaign.
He additionally suggested shoppers to maintain fruits similar to bananas, apples and pears away from different produce as they launch ethylene fuel as they ripen, inflicting close by produce to ripen and spoil sooner.
On dealing with leftovers, SWCorp mentioned the general public might repurpose these meals into new meals, share or donate them, or compost them.
Though degradable, the large pile of meals waste is dangerous for the setting.
The president of the Malaysian Nature Society, Professor Dr. Ahmad Ismail, mentioned most meals waste would find yourself in landfills, the place it will degrade however emit greenhouse gases similar to carbon dioxide and methane.
“Such gases contribute to local weather change and will trigger an increase in temperature,” he mentioned, including that round 7% of greenhouse gases produced globally are because of preventable meals waste.
Degraded meals waste might additionally produce leachate and contaminate groundwater and aquatic ecosystems the place the dumps are positioned, it added.
“Malaysians should save their meals. By managing our meals consumption, we is not going to solely save the environment but additionally our pockets,” he mentioned.
Professor Ahmad mentioned agricultural practices and merchandise should be managed in line with native demand and export to cope with present meals provide and value issues.
“Extra campaigns are wanted to coach the general public about dealing with our meals,” he mentioned.
He added that such academic campaigns might begin with youngsters in class canteens to encourage them to not waste meals and preserve meals waste in the best place.
