Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Waste in Australia

Thanks to Karen for pointing us to Vic Health where I found a brand-spanking new Research Report - Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Waste in Australia.

"A highly sought-after objective of both the private and public sectors is to secure a more sustainable food system. Achieving sustainability requires a thorough and holistic understanding of the system and its drivers. This report aims to provide government,industry and non-governmental groups with the necessary information to achieve a targeted investment response to turn around the current low consumption / high waste paradigm to meet the current and future challenges facing the Australian fruit and vegetable system."

I remember hearing a while ago that Australians throw out a large percentage of the food we buy - and not into the compost - just to landfill. From the report:
"a submission to the Senate inquiry by the Boomerang Alliance estimated that food waste comprises 15% of the 20 million tonnes of waste that goes to landfill in Australia each year and that the current recycling rate for food waste is extremely low. Only 10% of food waste is recycled and the other 90% is sent to landfill (SCECA, 2008)."