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Homes 'dump 6.7m tonnes of food' Homes 'dumping a third of food'
(about 1 hour later)
Homes across Britain throw away a total of 6.7m tonnes of food a year, a report is expected to reveal.Homes across Britain throw away a total of 6.7m tonnes of food a year, a report is expected to reveal.
The report, by the government's waste body Wrap, will say that households in the country throw away just under a third of all the food they buy. The study, by the government's waste body Wrap, will say that households in the country throw away just under a third of all the food they buy.
Most of the waste food goes into landfill sites, where it breaks down and causes greenhouse gases.Most of the waste food goes into landfill sites, where it breaks down and causes greenhouse gases.
Half of it is inedible items, such as teabags. But it means more than 15p of each £1 spent on food is wasted.Half of it is inedible items, such as teabags. But it means more than 15p of each £1 spent on food is wasted.
Focusing on combating climate change, the report will remind people that around one fifth of our carbon emissions are related to the production, processing, transport and storage of food. Focusing on combating climate change, the report will remind people that about one-fifth of our carbon emissions are related to the production, processing, transport and storage of food.
The BBC's environment analyst Roger Harrabin said the main causes of food being wasted seemed to be people buying more food than they need, keeping food in fridges which are too warm, allowing food to go out of date as well as catering for fussy children. Landfill shortage
Wrap also asked 1,800 people about their attitudes to waste - with just 10% believing they throw away a substantial amount of food.
The organisation said the survey suggested people were in a state of denial about the amount of food they were wasting.
The BBC's environment analyst Roger Harrabin says the government is keen to reduce the amount of waste because the country is running out of landfill sites to use as dumps.
Ministers are also keen to reduce waste as part of their combating climate change, as landfill sites produce a lot of methane - a powerful greenhouse gas.
There are also several European directives designed to encourage governments to reduce waste.
Our correspondent said the main causes of food being wasted seemed to be people buying more food than they need, keeping food in fridges which are too warm, allowing food to go out of date as well as catering for fussy children.
Other causes may be that ready meals are the wrong size, that food gets put into the back of the fridge or that we may not feel like eating it after buying it.Other causes may be that ready meals are the wrong size, that food gets put into the back of the fridge or that we may not feel like eating it after buying it.