Analyzing Household Food waste in

Pakistan: Causes, affects and solution:

1. Introduction

Studies have revealed that the volume of waste produced in mega cities has
doubled in the last three decades. About 0.5 to 0.8 kg per person and day of
household solid waste is generated. This category includes food, and
paper/paperboard based waste materials that are generated when recycling bins in
the facility were emptied as background rates of yard wastage (plastics, textiles &
leather(rubber)/wood/metals/glass/ other). Although generated in large quantities
per capita, and while is mainly made up of food stuffs and paper products the most
significant portion of waste produced is as a result of food. This is to segregate the
waste, i.e. high wet mixed with easy degradable food and allow accumulation of
both energy & natural products, in form usable NOT STOCKABLE…
Astonishingly, in Pakistan, out-of-date datasets about volumes of residential solid
waste at the generation points are recorded, but chronic data is missing. Waste is
originally generated at the domestic level and disposal or collection are relatively
low costs; MedDataLabs can then easily document data from its origins. While
there are already a blend and uniform waste management algorithms,
improvements should be increased in more effectively diverting food especially
within the domestic solid waste management framework.
Today, an expanding population in Pakistan is going through economic growth and
greater dietary diversification — especially among the middle-income class. The
intake of these ways: fruits, other meals,pasta and rice add up to an increasing
portion size over time leading increased wastage. Additionally this suggests the
majority of what households dispose is organic and therefore can be simply
recycled. The loss also imposes on the social wellbeing of civic society through
feeding needy sectors as well as promoting agricultural and environmental
circumstances. The generation of the solid waste is directly related with
consumption preferences, and such compositions can be compromising or
 beneficial for development in a municipality. The evidence from studies and
observations on food waste has been with us for decades but the data specifically
regarding food wastage are still thin. Deadlines of research still use stale numbers,
thereby suggesting insufficient general knowledge. Research about food wastage
fail to determine if it is based on the poorest, age group, size of family, income etc.
It is important to determine the household characteristics most associated with
higher food waste in order to incentivize and support a set of household utility
actions that can curb down this challenge across Pakistan.

1.1. Background and Importance of the Study:

It is commonly assumed that some food wastage is unavoidable. However, a recent

study found that 60-70% of the 19 million tonnes of food that is wasted each year
in the UK is avoidable. In the industrialized world, efforts to reduce waste tend to
focus on the supply chain. However, it has recently been recognized that across the
industrialized world, households are the largest single contributor to food waste.
The proportion of food waste that occurs at the household level differs markedly in
different cultures.
In various countries—whether low, middle, or high-income—there exist notable
disparities in the percentage of household waste that is funneled into refuse
systems. This includes not only yard refuse but also leafy waste. A series of
workshops conducted across different nations revealed that leafy and yard waste,
along with kitchen waste (particularly domestic animal remnants and milk
containers), contributed to the highest percentage of food waste. However, this
type of waste was disposed of with the least frequency. The remaining categories
primarily encompass waste generated from cooking activities; for instance, food
preparation refuse, plate waste, cooked remnants and leftovers. The study aimed to
address a comprehensive array of waste—ranging from residues and domestic
animal waste to filth contained within bags, chemicals, deceased animals, as well
as plants, leaves, tableware, houseware and even needles or sharps. Although the
focus was broad, it is crucial to note that the complexities of waste management
vary significantly between different contexts.
1.2. Background of “Cultural and Economic Factors Influencing Food
Waste”:

The problem of food waste is strongly influenced by cultural and economic factors
that shape household habits, food systems and waste management practices. In
high-income countries where food is plentiful and cheap, households tend to buy
more than they consume, leading to high levels of food waste. Cultural norms
regarding portion size, freshness, and beauty of food may also play a role in
determining what is considered acceptable to eat or throw away. For example, you
can throw away fruits and vegetables that are slightly damaged or close to their
use-by date, even if they are safe to eat. Conversely, households in low- and
middle-income countries often waste less food at the consumer level, primarily due
to economic constraints and cultural values that prioritize resources. However,
these regions may experience greater losses in the early stages of the food supply
chain, such as during production, handling and storage, due to poor infrastructure
or a poor transport system. In addition, traditional food preservation methods such
as drying, fermentation or pickling are still widely used in many of these areas,
helping to reduce food spoilage. The main challenge in dealing with food waste in
different contexts is the complexity of the waste management infrastructure. High-
income countries may have sophisticated household waste collection and treatment
systems, including composting and recycling systems. Even within these countries,
however, the effectiveness of such systems can vary widely depending on local
government policies and community participation. In low-income countries, waste
management infrastructure is often underdeveloped or non-existent, creating
challenges in effectively dealing with food waste and its impact on the
environment. This highlights the need for specific strategies to reduce food waste
that take into account the economic reality and cultural practices of different
regions. Whether through improved supply chain management, effective public
awareness campaigns or the development of better waste disposal systems,
reducing food waste requires a holistic approach that addresses each country's
unique conditions.
2. Literature Review:

The problem of household food waste has received more attention in recent years,
especially considering the social effects and behavioral aspects associated with the
problem. The literature presents different understandings of this phenomenon, with
various studies providing important insights.
In 2018, Paul van der Werf's book "Developing and testing new interventions to
reduce household food waste" highlighted the social impact of food waste,
showing reducing waste can divert valuable resources to undernourished
populations. He identified three key areas in education: measuring food waste,
human behavior that causes food waste, and the need for effective interventions.
This study shows that food waste at the household level is largely a behavioral
problem, influenced by consumer attitudes and behaviors, thus laying the
foundation for understanding the broader implications of food management
strategies. and para(van der Werf, 2018). In addition, Kim Janssens and others
conducted a study in 2019 entitled "How the daily food disposal behavior of Dutch
households affects food waste", which explored in depth the complexity of
consumer behavior and its relationship to food waste. The authors argue that
although consumer food waste has received considerable attention, the complex
nature of behaviors and attitudes that influence waste is largely underexplored.
They distinguish between food-related behavioral factors and other personal or
product-specific factors, suggesting that there are many behaviors, from planning
and marketing to storage and food, which contributes to food waste.
This study shows the need for a better understanding of these underlying
conditions in order to effectively meet the challenge of reducing food waste
(Janssens et al., 2019). In the context of Pakistan, research conducted by Jin Zhu
et al. 2022, titled “Exploring rural residents' perspectives on food waste during the
COVID-19 lockdown: Implications for food security in Pakistan”, provides a
comprehensive look at the perspectives and behaviors of rural households to waste
food in a critical period. This study used a qualitative sampling method to collect
data from 963 rural consumers, focusing on purchasing behavior, food
consumption, and waste generation during the COVID-19 pandemic. By measuring
using qualitative questions and Likert scales, this study shows the significant
impact of epidemics on food-related behavior, highlighting the need for production
interventions in rural Pakistan to reduce food waste and improve food security
(Zhao et al., 2022) .
Overall, these studies shed light on the complex interactions between consumer
behavior, social influences, and contextual factors that influence household food
waste, particularly in rural areas of Pakistan. Both highlight the need for targeted
interventions and a deeper understanding of the behavioral factors that lead to
food waste at the household level.

References:
van der Werf, P., 2018. Developing and Testing a Novel Intervention to Reduce
Household Food Waste. [PDF]
Janssens, K., Lambrechts, W., van Osch, A., & Semeijn, J., 2019. How Consumer
Behavior in Daily Food Provisioning Affects Food Waste at Household Level in
The Netherlands. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Zhao, J., Rasool Madni, G., & Awais Anwar, M., 2022. Exploring rural
inhabitants’ perceptions towards food wastage during COVID-19 lockdowns:
Implications for food security in Pakistan. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov