WASTELESS (Waste Quantification solutions to limit environmental stress) is a new European program, launched in 2023. The main objectives are to:
– develop and test a mix of innovative tools and methodologies for Food Loss and Waste (FLW) measurement and monitoring, generating robust FLW data on critical and poorly understood Food Supply Chains (FSC)
– recommend a harmonized methodological Framework for FLW quantification.
– develop a decision support systemic Toolbox targeting all food value chain stakeholders enabling the duplication of WASTELESS collection points across EU territories and different food commodities.
Additionally to the measurement and monitoring tools, WASTELESS will carry research activities on innovative processes and streams to valorize unavoidable FLW. With the ambition to make existing FLW quantification solutions and WASTELESS ones usable by all food actors, a Decision Support Toolbox will be developed for any stakeholders to access the most appropriate methodology, digital tools, and solutions for FLW valorization all that aggregated with the Environmental and Socio-Economic impact associated to the implementation of the solutions. This will enable the replication of data collection hubs across Europe feeding the model developed by Joint Research Center with robust, reliable, and comparable FLW data.
It is financed by the EU, within the framework of the HORIZON2022 program. The project has a duration of 36 months and involves 29 partners (university and research sector, businesses, and other organizations). Τhe kick-off meeting took place in Portugal, on January 18-19th 2023.
SEVT will participate in the dissemination of the results. Afterall, as Food Waste is a top priority for the Federation and the Greek Food & Drink Industry has demonstrated strong committment for years, with related actions.