The Green REV Institute on 30.10 sent a position paper on the draft law amending the Act of 19 July 2019 on the prevention of food waste (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 1645) (No. UD133 in the list of legislative and programme work of the Council of Ministers.

Link to position

Within the position statement: ‘Notwithstanding the advocacy of the proposals formulated by other organisations, the Green REV Institute points out the necessity of implementing the following solutions into the Act on Counteracting Food Waste, which would serve to create a
sustainable food system, including in particular:

• broadening the catalogue of entities to which food can be donated – with particular reference to local self-government units with public-legal obligations related to social assistance;
• broadening the catalogue of entities obliged to implement the provisions of the Act on food producers;
• Significantly increase penalties for failure to comply with obligations under the Act;
• the establishment of penalties for failure to comply with education and information obligations under the Act;
• prohibiting actions aimed at making unsold goods unfit for consumption;
• Introducing topics on counteracting food waste and sustainable food system in schools;
• allowing the transfer of food beyond the minimum durability date, mislabelled (except for mislabelled allergens) or with damaged packaging, provided it is not spoiled;
• allowing bona fide donations of food to charity that is of good quality and appropriately labelled;
• allowing food that has reached its minimum durability date (‘best before…’) to be donated to the relevant entities as non-health-threatening (this will also have an educational value);
• introduction of legal solutions that will allow for the creation of circular/circular strategies – which will provide solutions that can be used to counteract food waste or manage food that has already been wasted (urban compost, bio-waste);
• promoting composting and biogas plants as part of a system that will make it possible not only to not waste food by eating it, but also by reusing food that is no longer suitable for consumption.’

Photo: Unsplash