Leftover fresh food is being thrown straight into the bin at some sections of government.

That was the claim made in Tynwald last week by Bill Henderson MLC.

Mr Henderson said he would not identify which sections of government were involved but he told his colleagues in ’areas for mass consumption’ where there were leftovers ’there seems to be a policy of throwing the freshly prepared food all in the bin’

He said he was astonished by this and urged the government to ’see what can be done to further reuse that food, say at teatime, or whatever, rather than just putting it straight into the bucket’.

The claim came as MHKs questioned Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer on what was being done to reduce food waste in the island.

Mr Harmer said he ’completely’ agreed with Mr Henderson.

Earlier, answering questions from Kate Beecroft (Douglas South), Mr Harmer said a 2006 audit estimated about 26% of waste collected for disposal at the incinerator was food waste.

That did not take into account food that put down waste disposal units or used for compost.

The department had a policy to ’support decision-making by residents, businesses and local authorities by providing information, advice and where possible research about waste, to inform choice’.

Mrs Beecroft said latest figures in the UK were that a third of food produced was actually wasted and Mr Harmer said that the island would be ’very similar’.

’It is not acceptable,’ the minister said. ’We do need to do more.’

He told members that the DoI was working with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and would work with businesses in a bid to minimise food waste.

Speaker Juan Watterson (Rushen) said the government had once trialled ’community wormeries’ for composting and suggested that they could be tried in a local authority area.

Mr Harmer said he thought community wormeries were an ’excellent idea’.

Mrs Beecroft asked Mr Harmer about school visits that had taken place to education children about waste and recycling.

Mr Harmer said that energy from waste plant (incinerator) contractor Suez organised 29 tours by schools and interest groups in 2018.

’The department recognises that there is a need to provide information and education to people with regard to waste and recycling issues,’ he added.

He added that the DoI was looking to fund a charity or business to perform this task and, while the necessary funds had been identified, ’no procurement decision has been made’.