Prevent environmental pollution from food waste: Control right from the source

With increasing consumer demand, food processing has become one of the extremely developed industries. However, during the production process and after use, food waste, if not classified and handled properly, will pollute the environment and waste resources.
Risk of pollution

Waste characteristic of practical agricultural product processing establishments is organic matter which smells, causes strong infection, causes enough harm to human health. Most of the food products that people use, after being used, are not properly collected and handled, creating many risks of environmental pollution. Even on many streets in Hanoi, it is not difficult to see vendors in food and beverage shops pouring leftovers into closed containers, and waste water casually pouring down the drain.
If in the suburbs, food waste is used by the people as agricultural by-products or animal feed, in the inner city, all households collect it with domestic waste. Waste collection on Trang Thi street, Hanoi. Photo: Victory Ms. Nguyen Thanh Nhan (Linh Nam ward, Hoang Mai district) shared: “There are not many people in my house gathering leftovers to feed the animals, so there is no other way to wait for workers to clean the environment. school to collect ”. Therefore, in many areas, all kinds of waste are not classified but collected together. Rice, meat, eggshell … in garbage bags, splashing, wet, smells unpleasant. According to a cleaning worker in Hai Ba Trung district, organic waste such as excess food is believed to be the main cause of bad odors, bad smells in landfills, harmful to health.
According to Prof. Dr. Dang Kim Chi – Chairman of the Science and Technology Council, Vietnam Association for the Protection of Nature and Environment, food waste is a global problem, one of the causes of pollution. current living environment. Methane from food waste generates 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gas per year and accounts for about 7% of total emissions. In general, the improper disposal of waste also pollutes the soil and water resources. “If there is no good control as well as there is no suitable and scientific treatment method right from the production process and after use, the consequences from food waste are not small” – GS. Dr. Dang Kim Chi said.
Utilize as a resource resources
Facing pollution but difficult to manage food waste, Prof. Dr. Dang Kim Chi said that firstly, it is necessary to have radical, scientific and practical measures. First of all, it is necessary to control right from the production source, prevent harmful substances in the product from the source of waste generation. When this solution is well controlled, food waste will be reused, recycled into animal feed, microbiological fertilizer … Along with that, the second measure must strictly control food waste sources. The third method, which requires scientific contributions, when food waste has been contaminated and needs disposal, it is necessary to find a solution to separate or neutralize the toxin that follows the food waste before reintroducing it. into animal feed, organic fertilizer …
In addition to controlling right from the production source, according to the Deputy Director of the Institute of Natural Resources, Environment and Community Development Tran Thi Huong, it is necessary to utilize food waste as a resource. This is the general trend of the world to operate a circular economy to thoroughly limit the impacts of environmental pollution and utilize waste into raw materials. “The efficient use of by-products in food processing such as rice husks, bran, molasses, bagasse, organs, fish fat, mucilage biomass, crustaceans … by applying science and technology and technical progress in the stage of reproduction as well as investment and waste treatment; Implementing clean production, saving energy is to increase the surplus value by making full use of natural resources, and at the same time making an important contribution to environmental protection ”- Ms. Tran Thi Huong acknowledged. The revised 2015 Japanese Food Recycling Law requires 95% of recycling responsibilities for food processors, 70% for food businesses, and 55% for food retail stores. and 50% for restaurants. The act of intentionally disposing of bulk food, causing environmental pollution, can be subject to a very severe penalty.