The ADVANCE (“Advancing MuNicipal Circlular Economy”) Results Dissemination Event entitled “Reduction of food waste production in municipalities and small and medium-sized enterprises HORECA” was held with great success on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at the hospitable venue of the Cultural Centre “Theodoros Angelopoulos” of the Municipality of Moschato-Tavros. The event, which was attended by more than 60 people in total, was welcomed by Mr. Andreas Efthymiou, Mayor of Moschato-Tavros and Mrs. Ioanna Athanasatou, delegated advisor of the Municipality of Halandri on pre-school education issues.
In the main part of the event, the speeches were opened by Mr. Antonis Mavropoulos, founder and CEO of D-Waste and member of the UNEP’s International Advisory Committee of the International Environmental Technologies Centre, who analysed the global food losses along the food supply chain and emphasized the urgent need to redesign this chain not only to address the problem of food waste but, above all, to satisfy global dietary requirements within our planet’s ecological boundaries.
Then, Ms. Nasia Barka, head of the Loss Prevention and Food Waste Generation Unit of the Municipality of Halandri, analysed the diverse actions of the Municipality in this field and presented results from related research projects that the Municipality is involved in, under the scientific guidance of Mr. Gerasimos Lymperatos, Professor of the School of Chemical Engineering of the NTUA.
Following, Ms. Dia Chorafa, Project Manager at the “BOROUME” organisation, referred to comprehensive strategy that “BOROUME” follows to prevent food waste along the value chain through their programs such as “Food Rescue & Supply”, “BOROUME at the Farmer’s Market” and “No Portion of Food Wasted”, as well as their actions to raise awareness among students and the general public about the phenomenon of food waste.
The baton was taken by Mr. Vangelis Terzis, scientific officer of D-WASTE, who set the framework of cooperation between municipalities and HoReCa SME businesses on the basis of legislative obligations, the particular characteristics of the Greek context, the necessary changes in the daily management practices of restaurants and the imperative financial support of small businesses in the HORECA sector in order to be able to integrate the circular economy princples.
Concluding the presentations, Mr. Dimitris Damigos, Professor of the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering of NTUA Coordinator of the ADVANCE project, outlined the methodology and results of the Project towards fostering a strategic coalition for education, training and awareness-raising between Municipalities and HORECA SMEs, so that both parties can smoothly and effectively meet the ambitious targets on food waste.
The event concluded with interesting interventions from the attending representatives of Municipalities and HORECA businesses on the challenges they face and the fragmented but worthwhile initiatives that have been taken on reducing food waste.
