MUNICIPAL FOOD WASTE IN UKRAINE; CHALLENGES AND ACTION TAKEN...

Municipal food waste in Ukraine: challenges and action taken...



Ukraine - World’s growing population and unprecedented urbanization introduce additional challenges associated with the use of resources and management of waste, including an increased amount of food waste generated. Nevertheless, cities are uniquely positioned to tackle these issues, as they are more agile in the policy development and program implementation.

In Ukraine, with an annual volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) reaching 13 million tonnes, more than 95 per cent of it is sent to landfills and dumps. At that, according to the Sixth National Communication of Ukraine on Climate Change, 35-50 per cent of the MSW is composed of food waste. Lack of waste disposal facilities and poorly developed system of food recovery and redistribution, coupled with low awareness about the ways to reduce waste, all contribute to the extent and complexity of the problem of urban waste management in Ukraine.

To this end, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a National Waste Management Strategy until 2030, incorporating the principles of the circular economy and those of food loss and waste (FLW) management hierarchy. According to the latter, recovery and redistribution of safe and nutritious food for direct human consumption is, after prevention at the source, the preferred option to waste treatment.

To support the Ukrainian government, FAO launched a pilot Project in two cities – Kyiv and Lviv. In particular, the Project team liaises with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and relevant City Administrations to facilitate the development of a strategy and an action plan for municipal food waste reduction in line with the FLW management hierarchy.

To date, the Project has commissioned a study into extent and causes of food loss and waste at the level of households, hotels, restaurants and catering businesses and retailers, as well as an analysis of the national legislation and policies. The obtained information will inform the development by FAO of a set of recommendations on municipal waste management, comprising also a list of interventions aimed to prevent and reduce waste in the food supply chain. Municipal food waste reduction strategy and an action plan will be developed.

The second phase of the project will focus on implementing targeted activities of the food loss and waste reduction strategy at various levels.

The Project is implemented by FAO in Ukraine with the support of the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, which is managing a comprehensive program on FLW reduction in the region as part of the Global Initiative on Food Loss and Waste Reduction - SAVE FOOD.