A recent poll of 1,000 office workers has found that each individual who throws away food waste at lunch in their place of work can generate enough electricity each week to charge a mobile phone 13 times. That is, if the waste is recycled correctly. But just over one in ten workers believe food waste at their workplace is sent to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants. If separated correctly, food waste is sent to AD plants to produce biogas, which can generate electricity.
The research found that while people attempted to reduce waste at lunch, like how 37% opted for smaller portion sizes, almost one in two people still throw away part of their lunch every week. There were five main reasons why people threw away food, including:
- 45% of waste: Food was inedible, like banana skins or eggshells.
- 30% of waste: People were too busy to eat or had a change in plans.
- 28% of waste: Poor food quality.
- 25% of waste: Portion size was too large.
- 15% of waste: People overordered.
From the 31st of March 2025, all businesses in England with 10 or more full-time employees will need to separate plastic, paper, card, glass, metals, and food waste from general waste. This is known as the Simpler Recycling legislation, and those found violating the new rules could face a fine. Concerningly, 76% of people who eat lunch at work are unaware of the incoming scheme.
“Food waste is a significant, but often overlooked issue in workplaces, with many unaware of its potential to generate renewable energy or even used for composting if properly recycled,” said Maxine Mayhew, Chief Operating Officer, Biffa Collections and Specialist Services at Biffa. “It’s essential to separate food waste, not only to reduce contamination in dry mixed recycling, but to enable us to recycle it and recover energy. Energy which can be used to charge mobile phones or boil a kettle for example.”
She continued, “The implementation of Simpler Recycling at the end of this month for businesses with ten or more full-time employees is a crucial step forward in managing waste more consistently and reducing confusion, whilst protecting the environment. However, it’s extremely worrying that less than one in four people who eat lunch in their workplace are aware of the scheme.”
Biffa commissioned the research and also found that 18% of people felt “dissatisfied” by their workplace’s current recycling options. In fact, four in ten said they don’t have a separate food waste bin at work. Additionally, 77% of people were concerned about the environmental impact of food waste, with 40% left thinking food waste ends up in landfill.
Mayhew concluded, “It’s clear from our research that there is an urgent need for businesses to improve food waste recycling ahead of Simpler Recycling, but wider awareness and education is also vital. Once separated, we can collect and transport food waste to one of our anaerobic digestion plants where it’s broken down and turned into biogas, which can be used to generate energy, which is sent to the National Grid to power local homes and businesses. By making small changes, we can have an important positive impact on the environment and support a more sustainable future.”
