Food waste management: an example from university refectory

Abstract

Purpose: The study analysed the amount of plate waste in a university refectory in Izmir, Turkey to find ways of minimizing plate waste in the university, providing sustainability and contributing to the development of circular economy and raising awareness about the plate waste problem. Design/methodology/approach: Observation and semi-structured interviews were used to determine the volume of plate waste and level of awareness of academicians, students and administrative staff and suggest sustainable solutions for food waste in university refectories. The data gained from the semi-structured interviews were analysed with qualitative analysis software (MAXQDA®). Findings: Plate waste in the university's refectories is increasing due to the lack of precautionary measures. Academicians, students and administrative staff all showed low awareness rates. Originality/value: This study is original in investigating theoretically and empirically one of the main reasons for food waste, namely plate waste in mass consumption sites, and evaluating the effect of food waste from an economic, social and environmental perspective.