Sustainable food management aims to minimize food waste and its environmental impact throughout the entire food lifecycle, from resource utilization and production to consumption and disposal. This approach emphasizes resource conservation, greenhouse gas reduction, cost savings for businesses and consumers, and increased food access for those in need. A core principle of sustainable food management is transitioning to a circular economy, where raw materials are used efficiently, resources are maximized for their highest value, and valuable materials are recovered from discarded items.
Food waste encompasses food that is not used for its intended purpose and is managed through various methods like donation, animal feed, composting, anaerobic digestion, or disposal in landfills or combustion facilities. This includes unsold retail food, plate waste, uneaten prepared food, kitchen trimmings, and by-products from food and beverage processing.
The term “food waste” often refers specifically to food discarded or recycled after being intended for human consumption, such as plate waste, spoiled food, or inedible peels and rinds. “Excess food” generally refers to donated food, while “food loss” typically describes unused agricultural products like unharvested crops. The EPA’s Wasted Food Scale provides a prioritized framework for preventing and diverting food waste from disposal, emphasizing prevention, donation, and upcycling as the most beneficial actions.
Wasted food presents a significant challenge and a substantial opportunity for improvement. In 2019, an estimated 66 million tons of food were wasted in the U.S. retail, food service, and residential sectors, with 60% ending up in landfills. Food waste constitutes a larger portion of landfilled and combusted waste than any other single material. In 2010, approximately 31% of available food at the retail and consumer levels went uneaten, representing a value of nearly $162 billion. Globally, about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, contributing to 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable food management offers significant environmental benefits. Reducing food waste conserves resources like land, water, energy, and labor used in food production and distribution. It also minimizes greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout the food supply chain, from production to disposal. Landfill methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas, are significantly reduced by diverting food waste. Composting food waste returns valuable nutrients to the soil, enhancing soil health and supporting future crop growth.
Preventing and sustainably managing food waste provides crucial social and economic benefits. Recovering edible food helps address food insecurity and supports communities in need. Reducing food waste translates to cost savings for individuals and organizations by minimizing food purchases, disposal costs, and associated energy and labor expenses. Donating food offers tax benefits and aligns with ethical practices. Organizations can also potentially reduce trash pickup fees by diverting food waste to organics recycling facilities.
The EPA’s research on the environmental impacts of food waste, culminating in the “From Farm to Kitchen” and “From Field to Bin” reports, provides valuable insights into the benefits of reducing food loss and waste. These reports underpin the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale, a valuable tool for promoting sustainable food management practices.
