National Forums

The intersection between food loss and waste and packaging waste can be confusing and solutions often come with challenges. COVID-19 has accentuated this dynamic, particularly through the correlation between food safety and plastic usage, which is leading to significant and unsustainable increases in single use plastics.

With the release of Less Food Loss and Waste, Less Packaging Waste  (Français), the National Zero Waste Council’s (NZWC) commissioned report lays to rest the confusion around what best choices to make – and presents a coherent pathway forward for industry and government.

This pathway, however, still brings with it questions around implementation.

In fall 2020, the NZWC and project collaborators hosted three national forums to help answer these questions. The virtual workshops engaged leaders in determining a series of practical next steps to help deliver on waste prevention in both food and packaging. Discussions were tailored to specific geographic locales to facilitate decision making around five key areas of the report’s recommendations:

1. FLW prevention — including optimizing the sale of loose/bulk vs. prepackaged
2. Problematic and unnecessary packaging
3. Improve recycling infrastructure
4. Improve composting/anaerobic digestion (AD) infrastructure
5. Accelerate development of new packaging materials and solutions

Review the Less Food Loss & Waste, Less Packaging Waste - Summary (Français)

SPEAKERS: (speakers line-up may differ amongst the forums)

• Martin Gooch, CEO, Value Chain Management International
• Ron Lemaire, ​President, Canadian Produce Marketing Association
• Manuel Gorrin, Brand Engagement Manager, Nature's Path Foods, Inc.
• Anthony Rossi, VP, Global Business Development, Loop
  
• Jana Vodicka, Sustainability Manager, Compass Group Canada
• Andréanne Laurin, Directrice générale et cofondatrice, Épicerie LOCO
• Emilie Jobin Poirier, Sustainability Manager, Prana