Office workers throw away enough food waste per week to charge a mobile phone 13 times

However, just over one in ten workers think food waste in their workplace is sent to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants. If separated into the right bin, food waste is sent to AD plants to produce biogas, which can be used to generate electricity. 

The research found that despite people taking actions to reduce their food waste at lunch, with 37 per cent trying to buy smaller portion sizes, almost one in two people still find themselves throwing away part of their lunch in their workplace each week. 

The main reasons for throwing away food at lunch was as a result of inedible food waste, such as banana skins or eggshells, busy schedules or plans changing, poor food quality, standard portion sizes too large and overordering.  

The findings emerge ahead of the forthcoming Simpler Recycling legislation where all businesses in England with 10 or more full-time employees will have to separate plastic, paper, card, glass, metals and food waste from general waste from 31 March 2025 or risk a fine. 

Concerningly, 76 per cent of people who eat lunch in their workplace are still unaware of the Simpler Recycling scheme.  

Maxine Mayhew, Chief Operating Officer, Biffa Collections and Specialist Services at Biffa, said: “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.  

“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. 

“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.” 

The research, commissioned by Biffa, the UK’s leading sustainable waste management company, also found that 18 per cent of people are dissatisfied with their current recycling options at work, with four in ten not even having a separate food waste bin in their workplace.  

77 per cent of people are concerned about the environmental impact of food waste, with 40 per cent of people believing that it is sent to landfill. 

Food production and consumption produces 30 per cent of global carbon emissions. In the UK alone, food waste totalled 10.7 million tonnes in 2021. For every ten-litre caddy (4kg of food waste), 2.75kg of carbon is saved by streaming food waste through AD rather than using landfill. 

Maxine added: “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.”