Food waste is a major contributor to carbon emissions, and in Malaysia most of it ends up choking our landfills.
A recent journal article by a Malaysian researcher offered several plausible recommendations. But first, consider the scale of the problem: 15,000 tonnes of food a day. That is the weight of more than 100 fully loaded Boeing 747 jets. And all of it perfectly edible.
This is not a hypothetical scenario. It is our daily, damaging reality.
As a nation known for its culinary heritage and boundless hospitality, our relationship with food has taken a troubling turn. We have become a country of wasters. Food is now the single largest component of landfill waste, a grotesque monument to our excess and indifference. This is not merely an environmental concern – it is a profound moral and economic failure that demands urgent action.
The causes are often ordinary. At home, it is the leftover nasi lemak forgotten at the back of the fridge. In supermarkets, it is the slightly blemished banana deemed unsuitable for the shelf. At lavish wedding receptions and Ramadan buffets, it is the culture of abundance, where quantity is prized over quality, leading to trays of untouched food scraped straight into the bin. Many have called for Ramadan buffets to be scaled down for this very reason.
Our current approach is simple – and disastrous. Out of sight, out of mind. We send this waste to landfills where it rots, producing methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Toxic leachate seeps into soil and water. We are burying our resources – and our children’s future – in a grave of our own making. Change is overdue.
For decades, we have operated on a linear system of take, use and discard. This model no longer works. While mandatory waste separation was a step in the right direction, implementation has been lukewarm. We lack large-scale composting or anaerobic digestion facilities, and we lack incentives for businesses to donate unsold food. Most critically, we lack a collective sense of urgency.
So what must be done?
First, we need policy with teeth. The government must go beyond awareness campaigns and introduce firm regulations. These should include incentives for food-to-energy plants and commercial composting, as well as a clear hierarchy of food waste that prioritises reducing surplus, then diverting edible goods to hunger relief, followed by animal feed, and only then composting or energy recovery. Landfilling edible food must be the last resort, not the default.
Secondly, the private sector must be accountable and supported. Supermarkets should partner with NGOs to distribute near-expiry goods. The hospitality sector, a major contributor to waste, must audit its kitchen output and train staff to minimise waste. This is not merely corporate social responsibility – it is also good business.
But ultimately, change begins with us.
We must rediscover the values of thrift and respect for rezeki that our grandparents understood. Plan meals. Make shopping lists. Embrace imperfect produce. Remember that balik kampung feasts are about family, not displays of excess. Ask for doggy bags without shame. Compost food scraps where possible. This is not austerity – it is respect.
Respect for the farmers who laboured under the sun. Respect for the resources used to produce and transport our food. Respect for the millions of Malaysians who still face food insecurity.
We have a choice. We can continue wasting mindlessly, burdening both the environment and our conscience. Or we can become a nation that leads, innovates and values every grain of rice.
The time for talk is over. The time for action is now. Let us stop wasting our food – and start building a future we can be proud of.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.