Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 5: Recycling and Composting
• Method 2 of 5: Charity
• Method 3 of 5: Dispose of unrecyclable products
• Method 4 of 5: Food Waste Storage Regulations
• Method 5 of 5: How to Reduce Waste

People often buy too much food, whether they eat at home or in a cafe. It is necessary to properly dispose of food, as in the process of decay, methane is released - a greenhouse gas that is dangerous to the environment. Dispose of food at recycling sites, compost with organic materials, donate excess food to charity, and throw the rest of your waste into the trash. Also, try to reduce the amount of food waste as much as possible.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Recycling and Composting

1. 1 Compost at home. Compost your biodegradable food to reduce food waste in your bin. This will help you take care of the environment and will be able to use compost to feed your garden plants. Homemade compost fertilizes the soil, promoting healthy growth of vegetables, flowers and trees.
   • Use food scraps such as fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, eggs and nutshells, and tea bags for compost.
   • Do not dispose of meat, dairy products, oil and fat in this way.
   • Add food leftovers to cardboard, newspapers, plants, and other organic materials in the compost pit. Mix waste with earth to decompose food faster.
   • When adding new materials, turn the pile upside down with a pitchfork or other tool to provide fresh oxygen, which will speed up the process.
   • If you don't have a backyard, try composting at home using an earthworm farm.
2. 2 Visit your local recycling center. If there is no suitable place or you do not want to compost at home, take your food waste to a recycling center. These factories are often involved in food processing and composting. Typically, you will have to leave your food waste at the designated place or throw it into an appropriate container.
   • Check with your local waste disposal center in advance.
   • Some factories only accept properly sorted waste.
   • Find out which waste is recyclable.
   • For example, such centers do not accept meat, but they process organic materials (fruits and vegetables).
   • Usually all the necessary information about the processing plants is available from the local government.
3. 3 Follow local food waste disposal regulations. Depending on where you live, there are different options for disposing of food. Local authorities are increasingly installing small compost bins for food waste next to garbage cans, which are emptied during garbage collection.
   • If in doubt, contact your local government office to clarify the information.
   • Try to find out the information you are interested in from the neighbors.
   • Biodegradable bags are often provided to collect such waste and products.

Method 2 of 5: Charity

1. 1 Identify the right foods. If the shelves are full of foods you don't plan to eat, then you don't have to throw the food in the trash. Donate food to local charities like the food fund or homeless kitchen so that food doesn't go to waste. In this case, you will first need to sort the suitable products.
   • As a rule, you can give away all non-perishable foods like canned vegetables, soups, fish and meat.
   • You will also have low-sugar cereals, nut butters, raisins, and juice packs.
   • Food in glass containers is not usually served. They are often not accepted as the glass can break easily.
   • You can always offer extra food to friends and family.
2. 2 Contact your local charities. After sorting out excess products, find suitable organizations. Find out the contact information for a food fund or homeless kitchen, and find out how you can transfer food. A list of such organizations can always be found on the Internet.
   • There are even dedicated smartphone apps that allow organizations to donate unnecessary food.
   • It is best for an individual to contact a reputable local or national charity.
3. 3 Bring food to the food fund. Pack the groceries carefully and take them to your local food fund or donate to volunteers. They will be happy to welcome you and accept all suitable products that are packaged correctly. Find out more information on how these centers operate. They often need new helpers to handle the reception and distribution of donations.
   • If you have time to spare, try doing charity work and volunteering at a food bank.
   • They usually offer many volunteer opportunities.
4. 4 Donate food from the restaurant. Restaurant owners can also donate excess food to charity. Contact your local charity center for details, and then employees of the organization will come to pick up the food you have prepared. It also allows for the donation of perishable food and ready-to-eat meals that can be frozen immediately or transferred to the homeless canteen.
   • A list of organizations can always be found in the telephone directory or online.
5. 5 Donate groceries from the store. You can also donate excess groceries from a store or grocery store. The procedure is the same as for restaurants and hotels.You should contact your local charity and advise on the products you wish to donate. Then the employees of the organization will come and take away the excess products.
   • If you have a lot of surplus food, then you can always become a regular partner of a local or national charity food bank.
   • Such cooperation will help to donate surplus products in a timely manner and sometimes allows you to receive tax breaks for the company.

Method 3 of 5: Dispose of unrecyclable products

1. 1 Sort spoiled foods. In the case of perishable foods, you cannot hesitate. Do not put this waste in your regular trash, store it in sturdy plastic bags and dispose of it regularly. Try throwing lost meat and other rotting products in the trash on the day of pickup. Rotting waste attracts parasites and insects.
   • Tie plastic bags filled with meat and other raw waste tightly, and then discard in the trash bag. This will minimize odors and leaks.
   • Make sure the basket is closed and there is no odor that could attract vermin.
   • Dispose of the missing meat quickly, as it may harbor worms.
2. 2 Burn foods that are low in liquid, like chicken skin. Foods with a high liquid content may explode.
   • Burn these foods in the fireplace or outdoors in a fire pit.
   • You can also use a wood-burning stove, but add waste to the fuel storage compartment, not the cooking compartment.
   • DO NOT use a gas stove, otherwise there will be too much smoke in the room.
   • Burn food when building a fire to use less fuel. For example, after a picnic, you can burn food leftovers on the same coals that were used in the cooking process (do not forget to fill the fire with water before leaving).
   • Dispose of cooled ash and ash as usual.
3. 3 Flush waste into the toilet.
   • Almost all soft waste except oil and fat can be crushed and flushed down the toilet.
   • This method works for soft foods like rotten tomatoes, but not for bones.
   • This is a convenient option if there is no waste disposer in the sink.
4. 4 Collect oil and fat in a container. Collect your cooking oil in a jar, bottle, or other container you don't mind throwing away. Do not pour hot oil or melted fat directly into the sink drain. This will lead to problems with the pipeline. Always dispose of cooking oil in a separate container.
   • A full can can be thrown away with the rest of the trash. It is not recyclable.
   • You can also use leftover fat and lard to prepare bird food.
   • Mix the fat with dry food scraps like oatmeal and freeze in the refrigerator.
   • The hardened mass can be hung on a tree next to the feeder.
5. 5 Use a shredder in your sink. If your kitchen sink is equipped with a waste disposer, dispose of food waste while washing dishes. Scrape off any leftover food directly into the sink and turn on the chopper along with cold water. Listen for the sound of chopping and unplug the device when the blades meet no resistance.
   • Do not use the shredder to dispose of non-biodegradable products.
   • Do not try to grind glass, metal, plastic, paper, or similar materials.
   • Do not pour fat and oil into the container under the chopper.
   • Do not dispose of bulky food (rice or pasta) in this way.
6. 6 Do not put food waste into the septic system. This method of disposal is not recommended. If you have a septic system, do not rinse food leftovers, coffee grounds or grease into it. The more solids that enter the system, the more often the septic tank will need to be emptied.
   • If your sink has a garbage shredder, use it as little as possible.
   • If you use a shredder, there is a risk of losing your septic system warranty.
7. 7 Figure out which foods you can just throw away. Some foods are not suitable for composting or processing (pasta, rice, bread, and other grain products). It is better not to throw away pasta and pasta, but donate to the food bank, since they are stored for a very long time.
   • If you find a very old pack of spaghetti or rice in the closet, it's best to throw it in the trash.
   • Sometimes you want to feed the birds with dried bread, but this product has a very low nutritional value, and moldy bread is even harmful to birds.
   • Dairy products should be thrown away as they are not suitable for processing or even for a compost pit.

Method 4 of 5: Food Waste Storage Regulations

1. 1 Don't rush to throw away waste too early. It is not always possible to immediately throw away waste, because garbage is not taken out every day. If left in the trash can, they will create an odor that will attract animals and flies.
2. 2 Use a liquid waste jar. A glass jar of pickles or sauce with a tight lid works best.
   • Plastic containers can also be used, but they can allow odors to pass through.
   • Metal coffee cans with a tight lid are fine, but they can leave rust in the sink.
   • Never use cardboard packaging and tubes. They can get wet from decomposing products and leak.
   • A small, single-use jar is ideal. Do not open it later to keep out the smell and attract gnats if the jar has not been stored in the refrigerator.
3. 3 Shred the waste to fit into the jar.
4. 4 Throw the can into a container on the day you pick up the garbage. You can also throw away only the contents of the can and wash the container for reuse, but it is better to do this outdoors so as not to litter the room.
5. 5 Freeze waste and discard later. Freezing slows down the decomposition process and also kills insects and larvae. This can be used in conjunction with a liquid waste jar or for freezing large items like watermelon rinds. It's easy to forget about food in the fridge on the day of garbage collection, so use a reminder.

Method 5 of 5: How to Reduce Waste

1. 1 Store food correctly. Take steps to reduce food waste in the long term. Foods often go bad due to improper storage or short shelf life. By storing food correctly, you can reduce waste and save money.
   • Freeze fresh food that you plan to use after a while.
   • Freeze leftover soup, stew, or spaghetti.
   • Make sure food storage containers are intact. Store them at suitable temperature conditions.
   • For example, some foods should be refrigerated while others should be stored in a cool, dry place.
2. 2 Plan your purchases wisely. The easiest way to reduce waste is to buy less food. Pay attention to how much food you usually throw away, and then change your shopping list to reflect that observation. Try to plan the menu for the week and buy only the necessary products for the selected dishes.
   • Sometimes it's better to bypass special offers and promotional items.
   • If you have nowhere to store excess food, then think about whether it is worth throwing food in the trash after a while.
3. 3 Use leftovers correctly. By using food leftovers wisely, you can also reduce food waste. Use leftovers for new meals or snacks, as well as for broths and stir-fries. Find the recipes that fit. Use cooked food without residue. There are many recipes on the Internet that are based on leftovers from other dishes.
   • Preserve excess fruits and vegetables.
   • Don't forget about safety.Leftovers should be placed in airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
   • Use leftover food within two days and do not reheat food more than once.