Towards Sustainable Food Waste Management in the Hospitality Sector of Ajman, UAE: A Step Towards Achieving SDGs

Abstract

The hospitality industry, particularly hotels, plays a significant role in the prevalent issue of food waste. The World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) research highlights that UK hotels discard around 289,700 tonnes of food annually, most of which ends up in landfills. This problem encompasses two phases of waste—pre-consumption and post-consumption. Pre-consumer food waste occurs before reaching the customer, including excess food during purchasing, storage, or preparation due to overproduction. Post-consumer waste comprises leftover food. This issue not only presents a growing concern but also a promising business prospect. The United Nations estimates that a third of the world's food supply is wasted, with 14% lost during manufacturing and 17% potentially recoverable between sale and consumption. Food loss and waste contribute to approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This study aims to evaluate the existing food waste management practices in selected hotels within Ajman, UAE, and establish a pathway to mitigate the generated quantities. To achieve this goal, four hotels were examined, encompassing both five-star and four-star establishments. The findings indicate that the average food waste generation per person in hotels is under 2 kg/day. However, the World Wildlife Fund recommends a target of 0.5 kg/person/day—a benchmark for efficient food waste management.