HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT IN DONGGUAN: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES

With the steady growth of the global population and the acceleration of the urbanization process, the carbon footprint generated by the food production system and thus by food waste (40 % of food is wasted globally) has a significant impact on the environment and for sustainable development. Dongguan, as a new first-tier city in China, has attracted many internal migrants from China to work and settle down. A large proportion of the city's waste is composed of organic waste, and household food waste is an important part of it. This may be due to the fact that families purchase too much food, set aside excessive amounts, or fail to consume the food before it spoils, resulting in a waste of resources that comes along with significant environmental impacts, especially in the form of greenhouse gas emissions. This research adopted the method of questionnaire survey. The questionnaire aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the food waste perception and situation in Dongguan’s household sector and its families. By covering questions in three aspects: the demographic information of the respondents, their views and perceptions of local food waste, and their behavioral habits, the questionnaire investigates the current situation and local challenges of household food waste in families (such as the situation of leftover dishes, the proportion of food waste in household garbage, etc.), analyzes the causes of waste (factors in links such as purchasing, cooking, and storing), explores the wider public's awareness and attitudes towards food waste (degree of attention, views on reduction measures, environmental awareness, etc.), and clarifies the behavioral habits of dealing with leftover food (handling methods, willingness to purchase discounted food, etc.), and analyzes the relationship between demographic characteristics and food waste, so as to provide a basis for formulating targeted strategies. The survey results show that there exists a significant degree of food waste in Dongguan households. The public's awareness and behavioral habits regarding food waste vary greatly, and there is much room for improvement and enhancement. It is urgent to strengthen publicity and education work, which will help improve the public's understanding of the harm of food waste and enhance their environmental awareness. The research finds that although the Dongguan Municipal Government attaches great importance to the problem of food waste, the current policies mainly focus on the catering industry. In terms of the governance of food waste at the family level, relevant measures still need to be further strengthened. This study analyzes the factors affecting household food waste generation and comprehensively reviews and evaluates relevant policies aimed at mitigating food waste in Dongguan. On this basis, this study provides preliminary suggestions for policymakers and government departments on regional and national level, aiming to point out the direction for future related research and work planning.