What do we see?
The figures distinguish between edible and non-edible fractions within waste streams. Food loss in 2020 was 883,742 tonnes, down 2% from 2015. Agriculture, food industry and households were the main sources of food loss. Selective collection of them is high, except in households. By-product streams amounted to 2,167,727 tonnes in 2020.
What’s the aim?
The circular economy aims to preventively reduce food losses and maximise the valorisation of both food losses and non-edible food waste streams (by-product streams). Examples of valorisation include converting these residual streams into animal feed or using them as biofuels. In this way, organic material flows are put to good use and the environmental impact is minimised. In terms of food losses, Flanders aims to reduce these by 30% by 2025 compared to 2015 via prevention and valorisation throughout the food chain. In terms of valorisation, Flanders aims for a higher cascade index in 2025 compared to 2015.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator shows the amount of food losses and by-product streams per sector in the entire Flemish food chain. Food losses refer to food that was initially fit for human consumption but was not consumed. By-product streams include non-edible food residues such as peelings that can still be valorised.
