Bangkok: Six months into the food waste reduction policy spearheaded by Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand has made notable strides towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12. The Ministry set 2025 as the starting point for its food waste reduction initiatives, focusing on accelerating sustainable practices. On June 26, 2025, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONREP) cemented its commitment by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 15 organizations, including shopping malls and universities, to serve as pilot partners in reducing food waste.
According to Thai News Agency, the ONREP has been actively implementing the "Reduce, Recycle: Stop Food Waste SDG 12.3" project across four major shopping malls-Siam Piwat, Central Pattana, The Mall, and Seacon Square. These efforts have been supported by public awareness campaigns targeting restaurants within the malls, which have successfully managed to reduce food waste. A study tracking the progress of these initiatives from October 2025 to March 2026 reveals significant achievements.
Firstly, food waste at the source has been reduced by up to 103 tons, translating to a financial saving of 6.2 million baht. This reduction is equivalent to a decrease of 89.4 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2eq) in greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the amount of food waste diverted from landfills has decreased by 1,774.35 tons due to effective management practices like composting, animal feed, and the production of bio-fermented liquid fertilizer. These practices have added value worth 3.5 million baht, further contributing to landfill reduction targets.
The initiative's success in achieving zero food waste to landfills equates to eliminating 1,013.16 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2eq) in greenhouse gas emissions. The six-month results underscore the effectiveness of a systematic approach in managing food waste at the source and highlight the readiness of the private sector to play a crucial role in promoting sustainable production and consumption practices. This progress marks a significant step towards Thailand's commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 12.