Publication
Prevent waste
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
The average Irish household throws out 150kg of food per year. Much of this food is still good to eat.
Food waste is responsible for roughly 10% of global greenhouse emissions.
Stopping food waste makes sense for your pocket and the planet.
Ireland is committed to reducing food waste by 50% by 2030 – in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2023-2025 sets out a number of priority actions to focus on food waste prevention, across key sectors in the food supply chain.
The EPA's Stop Food Waste website has lots of tips to help cut down on food waste.
Stop Food Waste - Reduce your food waste and save yourself money!
Single use items are used once, or for a short period of time, before being thrown away. Huge resources go in to making items like drinks bottles, cups and cans, that are then thrown away after one use.
Easy ways to prevent waste from single use items is to use a re-usable alternative such as a water bottle, flask, or cup.
Single use plastics have a very negative impact on human health and on the environment.
80 – 85% of litter found on Europe’s beaches is plastic.
Since July 2021 the following single use plastic products are no longer allowed to be sold in Ireland and the EU:
• Cotton bud sticks
• Cutlery
• Plates
• Stirrers
• Straws
• Balloon rods
• Polystyrene food and drink containers (Expanded polystyrene single use food and beverage containers)
• Light plastic bags (including all oxo-degradable plastic products)