One million bags of salad are wasted every week in London during the summer months, according to a survey commissioned by environmental charity Hubbub.

To worsen the matter, the charity found that a third of wasted salad leaves are thrown in the regular bin rather than composted or deposited in a food waste bin, meaning over the summer Londoners will send four million bags of salad to landfill or incineration.

In response to the findings, Hubbub, along with the North London Waste Authority, has today (7 July) launched a ‘New Leaf’ campaign to highlight the growing issue.

The survey of 1,000 Londoners found that the younger generations were the biggest culprits, with Londoners aged between 16 and 24 wasting almost twice the amount of bagged salad as those aged over 55.

While 37 per cent of respondents did admit that they felt bad when throwing salad away to landfill, 70 per cent wrongly believed that because salad leaves are biodegradable there would be no negative impact on the environment when they decompose. The environmental impact of growing, producing and transporting salad is in fact significant and when salad ends up in landfill it produces greenhouse gas methane, which contributes to climate change.

Although bagged salad is often twice the price of a whole head of lettuce, people often choose the more costly option to make their lives easier, with 55 per cent of the surveyed people choosing bagged salad for the convenience. Further, 26 per cent choose bagged salad because they believe it does not need to be washed.

The New Leaf campaign

To draw attention to the issue of summer salad waste in the city, the North London Waste Authority and Hubbub are launching the New Leaf campaign. Through a number of events taking place across north London, the campaign aims to encourage Londoners to think about the ways they can produce less waste and consequently save money.

With 69 per cent of Londoners having never tried to grow their own salad, the New Leaf campaign is encouraging Londoners to attend cookery classes and composting workshops that are taking place between the 4 July and 11 August.

As well as providing a number of recipes for using up salad extras, the campaign has also come up with the following 10 tips to help lengthen the shelf life of salad in an effort to wave goodbye to salad waste.

10 savvy storage tips to wave goodbye to salad waste

1. Moisture is the mortal enemy of our leafy heroes. Store dressing separately to keep tomorrow’s salad fresh.

2. If you’re using fruits that are likely to go brown in your salad (we're looking at you, banana, apple) coat them in a little bit of lemon or lime juice to prevent oxidation.

3. Salad is only as strong as its weakest link. If you've got a fast spoiling ingredient like egg or tuna going into your salad try to store it separately and leave it off the salad till the last minute so it can't sabotage the other ingredients.

4. Keep peppers perky by leaving the stalk and seeds attached when you’ve got half left. Do the same with an avocado, leaving the stone in to delay discolouring.

5. Freeze the big cheese. Yes, you can freeze cheese! You can actually freeze most things. If you’re buying a hefty block of hard stuff, chop off a chunk and freeze for later.

6. Fruit juices can be used to make salad dressings. Try mixing orange juice, honey, mustard and a small amount of balsamic vinegar. Berries are also welcome.

7. Cucumber and lettuce should be kept in its packaging in the fridge (if it came wrapped) and in the crisper drawer - if your fridge has one. This can give a cucumber 3-4 more days of life.

8. When in the fridge too long, rocket and spinach can lose their colour. What’s not right for a green salad will certainly contribute to a sumptuous soup.

9. If not pre-packaged, wash and dry your salad leaves, store them in a tub lined with a piece of kitchen towel. Alternately, store them in a bowl of water in the fridge – just change the water every couple of days.

10. Onions are best stored in a cool, dry, dark place (they don’t like fridges but do love a tote bag). Chopped onions can also be frozen to save you time when you need dinner on the run.

Reducing food waste will ‘save money and the environment’

Councillor Clyde Loakes, Chair of North London Waste Authority, said: “About 40,000 tonnes of north London’s food waste goes to landfill each year, which costs nearly £3 million in landfill tax. And with the average household (with children) spending about £60 a month (£700 a year) on food that is never eaten and thrown away, we are dedicated to help you reduce the amount of food wasted – to help you save money and the environment.”

Trewin Restorick, CEO/Founder of Hubbub, added: “We want to encourage Londoners to be a bit savvier about how they store their salad and tackle those congealed cucumbers and soggy spinach leaves festering in the fridge.

“We’re also encouraging Londoners to think about growing your own – you don’t need a garden to grow lettuce, a windowsill will do and it’s easier than you think. If you do have a garden, however small, then composting is a great way to recycle your kitchen waste.”

More information on the New Leaf campaign can be found on Hubbub’s website.