Loic Rich, Cornwall City Council’s portfolio holder for the environment and climate change, welcomed the growing number of residents taking part in food waste recycling.
“We live on a planet that has been damaged by pollution, and it is time for all of us to take greater responsibility,” he said.
“One thing we must avoid is sending waste to an incinerator when it could be reused, recycled or put to better use.”
An analysis by Cornwall City Council found that food waste accounts for 22% of the rubbish placed in household black bags. The council also discovered that 43% of the discarded food was still inside its packaging.
Mr Rich said he hoped the amount of food thrown away would fall as more people understood the environmental and financial benefits of reducing food waste and using food recycling services.
“What I tell people is that if you avoid wasting food, there are so many benefits. It is absolutely worth it.
“We are currently just over 50% of the way there. Our target is to reach 65% by 2029, but we can only achieve that with the support of people across Cornwall.”
Follow BBC Cornwall ×, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to [email protected], external.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk