UVMB participation on the 10th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management

UVMB participation on the 10th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management

By: Atilla Kunszabó, 26/06/2023

From: UVMB (University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest)

On June 21-24, the WASTELESS project partner, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (UVMB) actively participated in the 10th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management held in Chania, Greece (https://chania2023.uest.gr/). This conference serves as an annual platform for researchers, practitioners, and policy representatives to share the latest advancements in waste management.
During the conference, UVMB had the opportunity to present the findings of their study on household food waste measurement in a dedicated session focusing on food waste management. The presentation performed by the PhD student Atilla Kunszabó and titled “Possibilities to Reduce Household Food Waste Based on Consumers’ Opinions in the Light of the SDGs”, shed light on their ongoing activities in measuring food waste and provided insights into the possibilities of achieving the SDG 12.3 target – to halve per capita food waste at the consumer level – from a consumer perspective. According to their results, actual avoidable food waste in Hungary decreased by 24% between 2016 and 2021, which is considered a good progress in terms of the global target. Besides that, based on the consumers’ opinions, there is still a potential to further decrease the current amount.
The conference encompassed a wide range of interdisciplinary presentations. The session on food waste management explored current trends in food waste measurement and reduction, incorporating research findings and policy instruments. Several pilot-level demonstration projects were showcased, highlighting advancements in food waste measurement, as well as state-of-the-art technologies in waste management systems. One of the key takeaways was the importance of implementing an effective source separation scheme for a waste recycling system to function optimally. Consequently, national policies need to prioritize education and awareness-raising efforts.
The conference emphasized the high potential for valorizing food waste through innovative approaches, as well as the importance of utilizing new measurement methods, which aligns with the ongoing endeavors of the WASTELESS project.