The South Aegean Solid Waste Management Organisation S.A. (FODSA South Aegean), in collaboration with the South Aegean Region as part of The Rhodes Co-Lab and the project ‘RECORDING AND REDUCING FOOD WASTE AND RECYCLABLE MATERIALS AT SOURCE AMONG LARGE PRODUCERS’ regarding the need to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the requirements of the new national legislation (Law 4819/2021), have undertaken to assist hotels and catering businesses in Rhodes to join a programme for measuring food waste and recyclable materials at source, via the Stop Waste app (www.stop-waste.gr).
The programme focuses on the categorisation and analysis of food waste at source, with the primary aim of reducing it and establishing new consumption patterns in the tourism sector, whilst also contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions into the environment. More specifically, it involves the development of an innovative app that facilitates the rapid and reliable recording of food waste generated during a hotel’s operations, through three simple steps.
Through this app, the programme provides 19 hotels and one catering establishment with a practical solution for the systematic monitoring of food waste, whilst also helping them to comply with the relevant legislation. At the same time, specialist guidance is provided to optimise food management, from the procurement stage right through to final disposal.
This process will result in the collection of valuable material, which will be accessible via the programme’s website and accompanied by informative content on food waste, as well as current national and European guidelines. Furthermore, the organisations involved will take part in targeted workshops and training seminars, focusing on waste prevention, best practices in the storage and management of raw materials, and raising awareness amongst staff and visitors to encourage the adoption of more sustainable consumption habits.
This training is expected to lay the foundations for strengthening environmental responsibility in the tourism sector and to make a substantial contribution to the transition towards a more circular and sustainable food management model.
At the same time, as part of the initiative, data on food waste generation on the island of Rhodes will be systematically recorded and analysed for the first time, creating a reliable baseline for future interventions. The results of this analysis will be utilised by the South Aegean Regional Waste Management Organisation (FODSA) to design specialised and effective strategies for bio-waste management, thereby enhancing the sustainability of the tourism sector and protecting the island’s natural environment.
