Warsaw launches Food Lab as part of sustainability push

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Warsaw has launched a Food Lab and joined a group of 10 European cities looking for ways to make urban food systems more sustainable.

Headed by Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski, the city stressed the importance of addressing the issue of food waste, noting that some 88 million tonnes of food are thrown away in the EU each year.

Warsaw’s Food Lab is an “innovation laboratory” focused on understanding problems and developing solutions, with city authorities pointing out that the lab will conduct experiments and test solutions.

The lab is an addition to the city’s efforts to implement more sustainable food policies and will help authorities to implement new solutions and refine the ones already in place.

City authorities pointed out that the Food Lab will operate as an interdisciplinary team composed of scientists and representatives of businesses, residents and local government units.

Importance of the lab is highlighted by the arrival of refugees from Ukraine, which creates logistical problems and makes it more challenging to distribute food to those in need.

City authorities noted that the lab will help Warsaw to optimise its use of food resources by reducing waste and reminded that the “School does not waste” project is raising awareness about the importance of food management in 76 educational institutions.

(Photo credit: Dan Gold / Unsplash)