Wasting food is something many Malaysians don’t think twice about.
In fact, many do it without batting an eyelash as it comes naturally to them. Uneaten food goes to the bin, problem solved!
What if we tell you that you must dispose the food you wasted yourself, and spend RM210 per month for it?
We are sure you guys shudder at the thought.
However, that is exactly the amount the government spends to dispose food wasted by each Malaysian household.
According to a report in Bernama quoting, housing and local government minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican the cost of treating food waste per household is expected to increase from between RM160 to RM400 by 2025.
He said Malaysians produce 38,000 tonnes of solid waste every day, out of which about 17,000 tonnes is food waste.
He added that an estimated 4,046 tonnes, or 24 per cent of the food waste, is avoidable.
“This amount can feed three million people with three meals a day,” he was quoted as saying.
Hence, Reezal Merican urged Malaysians to not over-prepare food and should reduce food wastage to avoid food ending up in landfills.
“If each person avoids wasting one kg of food waste, about RM100 could be saved in a month for one family,” he said.
Let’s all do our part to reduce food wastage!