$198,000 grant to drive down food waste in northern Sydney

Published on 31 July 2024

Ku-ring-gai Council has welcomed a $198,000 grant to help northern Sydney businesses save money and help the environment by reducing food waste.

On 24 July 2024 the NSW Government announced that the Better Business Partnership (BBP) had been successful in securing a Business Food Waste Partnership grant from the NSW Environment Protection Authority.

The BBP is a business sustainability program funded by Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney and Willoughby City Councils.

The grant will be used to provide free support to assist 300 selected businesses to reduce food waste to landfill by 40 per cent over the next two years.

Ku-ring-gai Mayor Sam Ngai said the funding would educate businesses about the importance of separating food waste from general waste and help these businesses identify solutions to deliver this outcome.

“This has the potential to save businesses money, given that food waste is categorised as ‘wet waste’ which is heavier and therefore costs businesses more in contracted waste fees,” Mayor Ngai said.

“Given that businesses generally organise their own trade waste collections separate to the Council collection services, it may also reduce the significant greenhouse gas emissions which result from food ending up in landfill.

“Rotting food and organic waste creates methane gas. At landfill sites where the methane is not captured, it is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.”

“As BBP has an extensive business network with existing relationships with hundreds of local businesses, it is an ideal recipient to implement this grant”.

For businesses interested in being involved in the program and to learn more, go to https://bbp.org.au/food-waste/ or contact Amanda Choy BBP Program Coordinator by email achoy@krg.nsw.gov.au.

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Media contact: media@krg.nsw.gov.au or 9424 0000