Reaching for Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 in Aotearoa’s Tertiary Institutes ^†

Abstract

Food waste is a growing issue globally, with estimates that 40% of all food is being wasted. Despite a growing body of research on food waste, information regarding the tertiary education sector is lacking. The variety and size of food service operations at tertiary institutes provide an opportunity to address food waste and work towards the Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3, which aims for a halving of food waste by 2030. We investigated the food waste initiatives at thirteen tertiary institutes (eight universities, four polytechnics, and one wānanga) in Aotearoa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in March, April, and May 2022, with staff working in sustainability at each institute. Initiatives were summarised using the “Target, Measure, Act” approach. Only 38% had formal targets for food waste reduction, while just over half (54%) of the institutes consistently measured food waste. All institutes had at least two initiatives in place that aimed at reducing food waste; the most common being worm farms (n = 11), solutions for leftover foods (n = 11), and composting (n = 9). Several challenges to the initiatives were identified from the interviews. These included the COVID-19 pandemic; contamination of organic food waste destined for composting; attitudes of individuals and institutes; and funding and resources. Although a range of initiatives were found to be in place, these approaches, such as worm farms and composting, are near the bottom of the waste hierarchy. New initiatives should be developed to reduce the volume of excess food, focusing on prevention and avoidance rather than recycling and recovery.