Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Using Post-Kerbside Organics Treatment Systems to Engage Australian Communities with Pro-Environmental Household Food Waste Behaviours

Esther Landells, Anjum Naweed, David H. Pearson, Gamithri G. Karunasena and Samuel Oakden
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Esther Landells: Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Adelaide 5064, Australia
Anjum Naweed: School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Adelaide 5034, Australia
David H. Pearson: Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Adelaide 5064, Australia
Gamithri G. Karunasena: Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Adelaide 5064, Australia
Samuel Oakden: Stop Food Waste Australia, Adelaide 5064, Australia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-17

Abstract: Dealing with the wicked problem of global food waste and loss is a complex and challenging area. In Australia, increased political will has landed the diversion of domestic food waste from landfill squarely at the feet of local government (councils), often requiring significant change to kerbside collections systems. This paper discusses how post-kerbside household food waste treatment systems can encourage pro-environmental behaviours. To achieve this, current food waste literature is examined against kerbside domestic waste collection measurable outcomes (diversion rates, system uptake and contamination rates). The hypothesis is that specific interventions can establish, or rebuild, community trust, responsibility and pro-environmental behaviours around food waste avoidance and diversion. Two post-kerbside systems—commercial composting and anaerobic digestion—provided the framework. Two themes emerged from the study: (1) the benefits of connecting the community with the interactions of household food waste inputs with post-treatment outputs (compost, soil conditioners, digestates and biogases); and (2) providing engaged communities with pathways for sustainable, pro-environmental actions whilst normalizing correct kerbside food waste recycling for the less engaged (habitual behaviours, knowledge and cooperation). The paper contributes to understanding how councils can connect their communities with the issues of household food waste.

Keywords: household food waste; pro-environmental behaviours; Food Organics; local government; Australia; composting; anaerobic digestion; FOGO (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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