Convention centres in Asia give food waste a second life. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/annanahabed
What happens to the heaps of untouched pastries, buffet leftovers, and banquet scraps once the lights dim and guests leave?
At some of the region’s most forward-thinking convention centres, the story doesn’t end in the bin. Food waste is being tracked, transformed, and turned into community resources – showing how event venues can be powerful agents of change in the circular economy.
Waste Not, Delight More at QSNCC
At Thailand’s Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), 80% of food waste is repurposed, bringing it closer to its zero-waste goal.
As part of its globally recognised Waste Not, Delight More programme, surplus meals are donated to community organisations – ensuring food that is still good for consumption reaches those who need it. Food waste is also composted into organic fertiliser or processed as animal feed.
Waste Not, Delight More, which recently won the AIPC Innovation Award 2025 – Winner Delegate’s Choice, is also supported by planning technology that minimises waste, optimise ingredient use, and improve cost-effectiveness.
Catering waste becomes compost at KLCC
At Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), 100% of food waste is collected in dedicated compost bins and converted into organic compost. The nutrient-rich result is donated to urban farming communities, turning yesterday’s catering waste into tomorrow’s fresh produce.
KLCC also uses AI-powered technology with cameras and weighing scales to track discarded food, identifying what and how much goes to waste. The insights help chefs fine-tune menus and portioning to reduce future waste.
Digestors chomp down food at Singapore EXPO
The Singapore EXPO’s powerful food digester handles up to 365 tonnes of food waste each year, breaking it down into greywater that’s safe for public sewage.
Empowering industry partners in a collective effort, Singapore EXPO allows organisers to have their event waste collected, weighed and transferred to the digester. The venue can also provide the organiser with an event waste report – a tangible measure to guide its own sustainability journey.