Assessment of Food Waste Management Practices in Restaurants of Bousher, Muscat: Environmental Implications and Pathways toward Sustainability

Abstract

In this study, the significance of food waste as one of the most critical global problems is emphasized since it has severe environmental, economic, and social impacts. Moreover, food waste generated in the restaurant industry, especially in the service sector, is highly prevalent and poses considerable threats due to operational issues and consumption behaviors. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the methods of managing food waste in some restaurants based in Bousher, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, and its associated environmental consequences. A research methodology that utilizes both quantitative and qualitative approaches is adopted; it involves the use of questionnaires and data collected through field observations and semi-structured interviews analyzed using Microsoft Excel and thematic analyses, respectively. The findings of this study show a notable variation in food waste generated in the chosen restaurants, with an estimated amount of food waste that comes up to 3704.4 kg/month in selected restaurant, caused mainly by oversized portions, overproduction, poor inventory planning, and insufficient employee knowledge. Landfilling is the dominant practice used by the chosen restaurants; however, it may contribute to methane emissions into the environment. In general, this study underscores the lack of a coherent system regarding waste management systems and reiterates the necessity of implementing sustainable measures, indicating that through the use of an integrated approach to waste management such as portion control, training of employees, and new waste treatments like composting and anaerobic digestion, food waste can be significantly minimized, all while adding to the literature on waste management practices in Oman.