Food Waste Awareness and Responses at the Primary School Level

ASM Sc. J., 20(2), 2025

Published on November 26, 2025

https://doi.org/10.32802/asmscj.2025.1866

Author: Marfiah Ab Wahid, Yoshinori Naruse, Nur Syahiza Zainuddin, Nurhidayah Hamzah, and Irma Noorazurah Mohamad

Abstract

Food waste is a major component of waste generated in Malaysia. Daily generation of food waste at school is depending on the number of students. In Malaysia, some schools have more than 1000 students. In average, Malaysians waste a total of 17,007 tons of food waste per day. Therefore, it is important to educate and create awareness at the young age about food waste. This paper highlights the awareness and responses of primary school children towards food waste generated in their school. The objective of this study is to transfer and disseminate knowledge on food waste to the school community. This study is part of the food waste campaign conducted at the school from March to October 2023. In this campaign, a series of activities were implemented , including talks, hands- on sessions, audits, composting and innovation related to food waste. Students selected for this campaign range in age from 10 to 12 years old. Based on observation s and results from a questionnaire survey, it can be concluded that the children showed high level of awareness regarding the impacts of food waste on the personal, social and environmental aspects. In conclusion, this campaign and awareness program is successful and should be continued in the future as part of the sustainable solution for food waste management at primary school level.

Keywords: Environment, Food waste, Primary school, SDG