Food waste used as a resource can reduce climate and resource burdens in agrifood systems

Abstract

Global food loss and waste continues to increase despite efforts to reduce it. Food waste causes a disproportionally large carbon footprint and resource burdens, which require urgent action to transition away from a disposal-dominated linear system to a circular bioeconomy of recovery and reuse of valuable resources. Here, using data from field-based studies conducted under diverse conditions worldwide, we found collective evidence that composting, anaerobic digestion and repurposing food waste to animal feed (re-feed) result in emission reductions of about 1 tCO2e t−1 food waste recycled compared with landfill disposal. Emission mitigation capacity resulting from no landfill disposal in the United States, the European Union and China would average 39, 20 and 115 MtCO2e, which could offset 10%, 5% and 17% of the emissions from these large agricultural systems, respectively. In addition, re-feed could spare enormous amounts of land, water, agricultural fuel and fertilizer use. Our findings provide a benchmark for countries developing food waste management strategies for a circular agrifood system. The global agrifood system is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, with food loss and waste accounting for one-third of food produced for human consumption. This study evaluates 3 food waste recycling methods using data from 91 field-based studies across 29 countries and demonstrates their potential to reduce emissions and recover resources to support circular and sustainable agrifood systems.