Measures to Prevent Food Waste to Be Introduced in Cēsis Municipality
To reduce resource wastage, the Environmental and Climate Neutrality Division of Cēsis Municipality has developed motivational tools for preventing food waste within the municipality as part of the LIFE Waste to Resources IP. The project provides an opportunity to create sustainable solutions for avoiding food waste in the municipality and to set an example for others.
Presentation (Latvian)
This year, in collaboration with the Social Service, a food recovery network will be established to redirect surplus but still consumable food from cafes, restaurants, and events to low-income residents. By collaborating with other municipalities in the bioregion, best practices for reducing food waste in schools will also be adopted, such as providing self-service options for students to serve their own meals. Additionally, new community food cabinets will be installed in Cēsis Municipality to distribute food to those in need.
Last year, for the first time, containers for separate collection of biological waste were placed at the Cēsis City Festival, and residents were encouraged to celebrate responsibly and in an environmentally friendly manner in the event guide. In the future, Cēsis Municipality will gradually implement measures to reduce food waste and ensure its separate collection during events. Separating biodegradable waste from other types of waste is crucial for processing food waste into high-quality compost free from plastic and other contaminants.
As Lāsma Ozola, the zero-waste community leader of the Environmental and Climate Neutrality Division, points out: "In Cēsis Municipality, we want to normalize practices aimed at preventing food waste, such as encouraging public catering establishments to either donate surplus food or use applications that offer surplus food at reduced prices at the end of the day. Currently, the Food Hero app operates in Latvia, and soon another entrepreneur-created app, Portsia, will be launched, providing Latvian residents the opportunity to purchase food at significantly lower prices. To find sustainable solutions for preventing food waste in the municipality, residents are invited to participate, engage in activities, and ensure that good food does not end up in the trash."