Dumpster diving the latest craze to help end food wastage

INNER WEST locals are turning more and more to dumpster diving to fill their pantries with discarded but edible food thrown away by supermarkets, saving money and reducing waste.

A girl goes "dumpster diving" a trend where people raid the bins of supermarkets to "rescue" food that is still good.

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IN the latest craze sweeping the inner west, dozens of locals are descending on shopping centre dumpsters each night to fill their pantries with discarded food.

With the cost of living in Sydney skyrocketing in recent years, the number of dumpster divers has increased.

Hundreds of people are flocking to websites and Facebook pages to co-ordinate dives and show off their finds in the name of “freeganism” which aims to eliminate wasted resources.

Summer Hill resident Harry Mitchell has been diving locally for years.

He says not only does diving save him money, it also saves food that would otherwise go to waste.

“I grew up in a household where we recycled and composted everything.” he said,

A trolley full of fruit and vegetables dumped behind a shopping centre.

“We are in a time where there is a dire need of action on climate change, so one of the biggest things you can do is minimise production and not eat meat.

“So much gets thrown out in supermarkets and restaurants and it is just going to waste.

“At the end of the day food in the bin is anyone's game — it is only going to the tip.”

Mr Mitchell said he first got into dumpster diving a few years ago and estimated it saved him more than $50 a week.

One lucky diver got dozens of blocks of Cadbury chocolate.

“I first got into dumpster diving when I moved back to Sydney from Europe and I wasn’t getting enough work to buy food,” he said.

“Now I’d like to think that everyone is becoming more accepting and because it is so expensive to live in Sydney people try and save money elsewhere.”

A dumpster diving haul that was posted to social media.

In the past few months Mr Mitchell and some other local divers have found an abundance of fruit and vegetables a case of Cadbury chocolate and boxes upon boxes of packaged salads.

They aren’t the only group trying to stop food going to waste.

A spokeswoman from not-for-profit OzHarvest said they collected nine tonnes of food waste from inner west supermarkets each week.

“(Our) refrigerated vans are out on the road Monday to Friday collecting food from Woolworths, Aldi, QE Food, Bourke Street Bakery, Madhouse Bakehouse, Newtown Pies ... and many others,” she said.

“We are working with many local businesses to ensure that quality surplus food can be rescued and redistributed to people in need.”

All of the collected food is redistributed to local charities like Newtown Mission, Vinnies Night Patrol and All Saints Anglican Church.

Dumpsters around Summer Hill and Leichhardt are popular spots for “Dumpster Diving”.

Supermarket sells expired food

DUMPSTER DIVING 101

■ Look for bins and check often, at different times and different days to find when the bin is most full

■ clean up any mess you make

■ beware of sharp objects like broken glass or opened cans

■ be aware of traffic and keep out of the way of trucks etc

■ bring gloves, sturdy shoes, shopping bags and a reach extender
■ wash all food thoroughly before eating
■ unless you’re trespassing, diving isn’t illegal, but if you’re asked to leave, do so politely