Mat i restavfallet: En undersökning av effektiviteten av matavfallskvarnar

Sammanfattning: Food waste has received increased attention due to its negative environmental and economic effects. In Sweden, households account for 71 % of the total amount of generated food waste. A large portion of this food waste is thrown in the residual waste instead of being source-separated, which indicates a need for improved options regarding food waste disposal. This study aimed to assess how in-sink food waste disposers (FWD) used in households affect the amount of food waste in residual waste and compare this amount with that generated with the conventional food waste bag (FWB) system. Furthermore, the aim was to compare residents' self-perception regarding food waste separation with FWD and FWB. The study was conducted through an analysis of residual waste from households in Helsingborg with FWD and FWB. A survey was used to investigate the self-perception of residents. The results from 2021 showed that the households with FWD threw less food waste in the residual waste and more food waste was sorted with FWD. However, data from 2022 revealed that food waste in the residual waste increased and less was source-separated in the households with FWD, compared to the previous year. Therefore, more studies over longer periods are required. At the time this study was conducted there was not enough data to conclude if the FWD installed in the households in Helsingborg contributes to less food waste in the residual waste and a higher source-separation compared to the FWB system. Answers from the survey revealed that residents using FWD and FWB estimated that they throw hardly any to no food waste in the residual waste, which indicates that their self-perception disputes the actual outcome. However, due to low participation, the results may be skewed, and further surveys are required to increase the reliability of the results.