COMCEC
Reducing Food Waste
In the 01CMember Countries
5. LEGAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL MEASURES OF FOOD WASTE
This section explores legislative, cultural and social measures adopted by OIC Member Countries
to reduce food waste.
5.1. L e g is la tio n a n d fo o d w a s te r e d u c t io n
A review of legislation associated with food waste in the OIC Member Countries suggests that
very few countries have regulations that focus specifically on reducing food waste. However,
many do have general waste or environmental legislation, or plans within which food waste
could be incorporated. What is apparent is that legislation either does not exist, is very poorly
administered or is the remit of too many departments resulting in poor implementation, or is
co-ordinated at a national level but not applied at a provincial or regional level (Anon., 2016b].
Within this context, it is worthwhile to explore more general waste management, or food
hygiene (e.g. date labelling] legislation to ascertain where or how food waste reduction could be
incorporated into a broader set of current legislation (if it exists].
Table 20 provides an overview of different legislative frameworks adopted by OIC Member
Countries that do or could include food waste. The lead or responsible authorities are identified,
alongside a commentary on the administrative quality of application. Whilst not legislation,
where government or national food waste plans have been implemented and adopted, these are
also listed as they could set a foundation for any future legislation and policy developments in
the countries of application.
Table 20: Legislative frameworks adopted in the OIC Member Countries to reduce food waste
and/or could be linked to the reduction of food waste
Country Legislation Lead or
responsible
authorities
Details
Afghanistan No specific food
waste or
associated
relevant
legislation
Ministry of
Agriculture,
Irrigation &
Livestock (MAIL);
Ministry of Public
Health (MoPH);
Municipalities
Responsibility for the control of
raw foods (MAIL] and processed
foods (MoPH], and food waste
(Municipalities). Responsibilities
don’t transpire into policies and
disparate (Khalid, 2016]
Bangladesh No specific food
waste legislation
Associated
National
Environmental
Policy, 1992
Ministry of
Environment &
Forests (MoEF)
Aim to provide protection and
sustainable management of the
environment. One of the objectives
is to ensure the sustainable and
environmentally sound use of all
natural resources -which would
include food and food waste
(Clemett, n.d.]
Brunei
Darussalam
No specific food
waste or
associated
relevant
legislation
Ministry of Health:
Environmental
Health Development
Unit;
MoH -Functions include the
preparation, planning and
monitoring activities, assessment,
management and control of
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