Households throw away most fruit, vegetables and prepared food
Tuesday 22nd September 2026 on 14:30 in
Estonia
Households in Estonia throw away the most fruit, vegetables and prepared food, ERR reported, citing Kristel Kibin, head of waste management at the Ministry of Climate, who spoke on the Terevisioon programme.
Estonia generates 139,000 tonnes of food waste, nearly one-third of which could be avoided. Almost half of all food waste is generated in households, and nearly one-third of household food waste could be kept out of the rubbish bin, Kibin said.
She said it was important to distinguish between avoidable and unavoidable food waste. A banana peel left after eating the fruit is unavoidable waste. However, throwing away an entire banana because its peel has turned brown is avoidable if it could instead be eaten, added to a smoothie or used to make banana bread.
Kibin said households discard the most fruit and vegetables. Prepared food is also frequently thrown away. For example, leftover porridge should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten later. People who do not want to eat food from the previous day should make smaller portions, she said.
Coffee grounds are also unavoidable food waste, but they should not be poured down the drain because they can cause blockages and place an additional organic load on water treatment systems. Food waste should be collected separately, with coffee grounds placed in a bio-waste container or composted.
A recent food waste study found that separate collection of bio-waste has improved. More than 80 percent of participating households collected food waste separately. The rate was slightly higher in detached houses, while sorting studies have also found less bio-waste in mixed municipal waste than previously.
Eggshells are unavoidable food waste, but they can be given to people who keep chickens. Kibin also said eggshells had sometimes been used around gardens to combat Spanish slugs.
To avoid unnecessary purchases, Kibin advised people to photograph the contents of their refrigerator or dry-food cupboard before leaving home on a busy morning. They should check what they already have, plan what they need to buy and purchase only as much as they can eat.