On April 9, 2019, USDA, EPA, and FDA signed a formal agreement with ReFED, Inc. to collaborate on... Resources. We live in a country in which more than 54 million people are food insecure (18 million of which are children) according to 2020 data collected by Feeding America, meaning they lack reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. USDA is uniquely positioned to help address the problem of food loss and waste through its programs, policies, and guidance. (For more on the specifics of food loss, this paper from Dana Gunders is a must-read.). Food waste is a big problem in America, It could be lowered by just doing a couple simple of steps and by thinking before you throw away something that could be eaten. Food Waste by Weight According to a 2014 EPA study, America throws away more than 38 million tons of food every year. Software helping cities run more efficient, effective, and sustainable operations. 08/28/2016 10:41 am ET Updated Sep 14, 2016 Six steps to successful recycling and waste reduction. Bagged food waste amid food waste containers. 62 In landfills, food gradually breaks down to form methane, a greenhouse gas that’s up to 86 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. In this article, we’re going to look at the issues surrounding food waste in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world after the United States and China. Food waste in America is exacerbated by unrealistic aesthetic standards for our produce. Sign up to receive Rubicon news and blog content directly in your inbox. Ryan Cooper is a Waste Diversion Manager and the Organics Recycling Lead at Rubicon. Globally, we waste a third of all food produced for human consumption, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN). That includes climate-wrecking greenhouse gas emissions at every stage of the food system, plus water, fertilizer, packaging, labor, and more. If you are a restaurant owner looking to implement food waste reduction programs, or you’re a business owner looking to run a more sustainable business, reach out to Rubicon’s Sustainability team at sustainability@rubicon.com and we will be happy to help. Wasted food has far-reaching effects, both nationally and globally. In fact, according to a Guardian report released this week, roughly 50 percent of all produce in the United States is … Food waste represents 8 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. When you’re in the produce aisle at your local supermarket, do you ever put back carrots, potatoes, zucchinis, or any other fruit or vegetable because it doesn’t look as straight, slender, round, or otherwise how we have been conditioned to believe this item should look? How much food is wasted in the U.S. can be seen directly through its monetary losses. (For more food waste statistics, scroll down to the “Food Waste Facts and Statistics” section below.). Software providing an innovative and seamless way to manage your fleet. Food Insecurity: Just one-third of food waste in the U.S. could end food insecurity if it could be successfully distributed to those in need. The healthier you eat, the more important it is that you stay on top of your consumption. Food waste or food loss is food that is not eaten. This is followed by food donations to those in need, sending food scraps to animal feed, then industrial uses including anaerobic digestion and ethanol facilities, before moving on to composting. Innovators that are shaping the future of the waste and recycling industry. The United States wastes 30-40 percent of its food supply each year. Dumpster rental for projects large and small. We’re going to look at what causes food waste at every level of the food supply chain; and how to reduce it. The causes of food waste in America go far beyond just tossing our leftovers in the trash, and they are crucial to understand in order to reduce our nation’s collective food waste going forward. This equates to 40.7 million tons (81.4 billion pounds) of food waste generated in America in 2017, or between 30-40 percent of the food supply, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Join our mission. At the consumer level, however, you have the power to ensure you purchase only what you need, you serve portion sizes that work for you and your family, and you don’t throw out food too early. And we’re going to uncover the most interesting food waste statistics out there. Food waste is the number one material in America’s landfills, accounting for 21.9 percent of all municipal solid waste (MSW). Don’t misinterpret expiration labels on food that’s perfectly good to eat.. As we just learned, there’s more to food waste than what we do and don’t eat. Here are some ideas for what you can do to reduce food waste in America: When we talk about reducing food waste in America we would be remiss to not mention the Food Recovery Hierarchy. We're using the power of business to solve global challenges. These numbers are up from 37 million and 11 million, respectively, in 2019, with the sharp rise in food insecurity due to the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the subsequent economic downturn. While rotting food in our country’s landfills causes harm to our environment after it is wasted, allowing perfectly good food to go to waste is also wasteful of the natural resources that helped this food come to fruition in the first place. You’re more likely to forget about food you have, improperly store your food, and buy more than you can eat before it goes bad. While mentioned above, it bears repeating here. How did we get here? Around 12.3 percent of American households were food insecure at some point during 2016, according to USDA. Your email address will not be published. APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA. Global preferences for a western diet consisting of a high intake of carbohydrates, sugar, and sodium are major contributors to environmental burdens such as greenhouse gas emissions and land use. While it is possible to offset the harm of these emissions through organics recycling, composting, and anaerobic digestion, the best way to reduce these emissions is to waste less food in the first place. More than 54 million people are food insecure (18 million of which are children) according to 2020 data, accounting for one in six people. Spend less time on trash and more time on your business. Recognize that while your eyes may be bigger than your stomach, your plate doesn’t have to be. The fact that America squanders tons of produce per minute is also a matter of cultural... Foodie-ism. Each person who lives in Vermont wastes approximately $1,375 worth of food. Approximately 38 percent of grain products are lost, 50 percent of seafood, 52 percent of fruits and vegetables, 22 percent of meat, and 20 percent of milk. The annual food waste in America has an approximate value of $161 billion, while the average American family of four throws out $1,500 in wasted food per year. A new study from Penn State revealed that U.S. households waste about a third of the food they purchased every year. If you have any questions about food waste in America, or any of the food waste facts and statistics on this page, you can reach out to Rubicon’s Sustainability team directly at sustainability@rubicon.com, or contact our sales team at (844) 479-1507. These numbers are up from 37 million and 11 million, respectively, in 2019, due to COVID-19. 40.7 million tons (81.4 billion pounds) of food waste was generated in the United States in 2017, the equivalent of over 180,000 Statue of Liberties. Restaurants want to have enough food to serve their customers, so they overbuy and throw out what goes bad. The Grocery Manufacturers Association,... 2. Meaning, food waste in America (banana peels, meat scraps, and eggs shells, not plastic or other trash) is what accounts for the largest waste category contributing to landfills. Seafood faces a similar fate, with 11 percent lost during production, 5 percent lost during processing and packaging, 9.5 percent lost at the distribution and retail level, and a further 33 percent lost at the consumer level. As I noted earlier on in this article, reading food waste statistics that tell us just how much food is wasted in America on an annual basis is a good way to help get the word out about the problem of food wastage in this country—but we must go further to reduce food waste at every level of the food supply chain. In the U.S., up to 40% of all food produced goes uneaten [2], and about 95% of discarded food ends up in landfills [3]. Take leftover containers to restaurants. The fact that we as a country are wasting 30-40 percent of the food supply each year when more than 54 million Americans are food insecure is unconscionable. Knowing how much food is wasted in America each year is only the first step toward tackling a problem that is bigger than the simple monetary loss. A large portion of this occurs at the consumer level, with 43% of food waste being generated in people’s homes. When you can’t see the food you have purchased, you’re more likely to forget about it and let it rot. Learn how to compost to keep food scraps out of landfills, and the amount of greenhouse gases from rising.. 3. Food waste occurs from farm to the plate in the US, with separate research released this week showing that American supermarkets are failing to address the issue. As previously indicated, food waste in America costs the average family an estimated $1600 per year in produce — a figure that soon mounts up — while on a global level, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates the true costs of wasted food at approximately $2.6 Trillion, a truly staggering number. Addressing wasted food puts that food and/or money back into circulation, potentially contributing to improved nutrition and, among those with lower incomes, improved food … As it stands, the U.S. is the worldwide leader in food waste generation, with the majority of wasted food being sent to landfills. More than 54 million people are food insecure (18 million of which are children) according to 2020 data, accounting for one in six people. Highlighting food waste statistics and facts, such as those below, is a good way to help get the word out about this ever-growing problem, but our work can’t stop there. As food rots in a landfill, it emits methane, a greenhouse gas 28 to 36 times more potent than the carbon that comes out of passenger vehicles. 63 According to a report from the UK based organization WRAP, if food were removed from UK landfills, the greenhouse gas … (2016, Sep 02). The latest comprehensive EU-wide report on food waste Source:Fusions EU, from 2012, suggests that the total costs of food waste are about 143 billion euros per year across the EU.Out of this amount, the cost for households is 98 billion. An estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally each year, one third of all food produced for human consumption. Food Waste in America — A Current Conundrum Food waste is a simple issue to get behind. Browse waste and recycling solutions by waste stream. Ensuring that what can be recycled, will be recycled. The cost of food waste is not just attributed to the food you bought and forgot to eat. When we waste food, we waste the water, energy, and physical labor it took to produce, package, and ship this food. Browse waste and recycling solutions by material. That’s the weight of 104 Empire State Buildings, with a bit to spare. While many people believe it’s better to buy fresh food, in reality, frozen food products often retain more nutrients while lasting longer. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines food waste as “uneaten food and food preparation wastes from residences and commercial establishments such as grocery stores, restaurants, and produce stands, institutional cafeterias and kitchens, and industrial sources like employee lunchrooms.” While the negative effects of food waste in America are numerous, this article will focus on the three largest. Food waste in America has skyrocketed in recent years, with 40.7 million tons (81.4 billion pounds) of food waste generated in 2017, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the equivalent of over 180,000 Statue of Liberties. As food rots in a landfill, it emits methane, a greenhouse gas 28 to 36 times more potent than the carbon that comes out of passenger vehicles. While academics may question whether food donations can make a difference in long-term poverty and food insecurity, it is clear that … As a result, many stores stop accepting them from their suppliers. Add a dollar sign value so you can see the impact it has on your budget. Landfills are the third-largest industrial emitter of methane, with food waste alone representing 8 percent of total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Recurring dumpster rental for your business. This is a shocking statistic which unfortunately becomes less surprising the more you learn about the growing problem of food waste in America. Buying food is way cheaper in the United States than almost anywhere else globally. Lack of awareness of basic nutrition adds to food waste among consumers. Food wastage impacts on biodiversity loss at a global level. Food waste is a big deal. Software helping businesses manage waste in the smartest way possible. Hopefully, food waste is never landfilled because it has so many beneficial uses. If we keep this up, reports estimate that in ten years, we’ll waste the equivalent of 66 tons of food per second across the globe. But each year, an enormous amount of food is wasted in the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection... Additional Activities. A family of four throws away around $600 worth of food annually due to spoilage or fear of eating leftovers. The results were similar to previous studies that … This is quite … In the United States, over one-third of all available food goes uneaten through loss or waste. Expiration dates are misleading and nonstandardized, leading many to toss out perfectly good food. The reality of food waste in America is that we live in a country in which more than 54 million people are food insecure (18 million of which are children) according to 2020 data collected by Feeding America. As you can see, source reduction, or simply purchasing less food in the first place, is number one. In ten years, the United States will waste the equivalent of 66 tons of food per second across the globe. Don’t forget that in many cities across the U.S., residents pay for trash pickup by volume or weight. Thankfully there are outlets for misshapen produce; restaurants don’t care what their carrots look like so long as they can turn them into delicious dishes on the plate, and start-ups such as Imperfect Foods, Misfits Market, and Hungry Harvest make it easy for consumers to receive “ugly produce” right to their door. Waste impacts public, food industry and household budgets; food lost from harvest to consumer in 2010 cost $161.6 billion; losses at the consumer level averaged $371 per capita, or 9.2% of average food spending . By 2010, the USDA calculated that American food waste costs about $160 billion in a single year. The size of your refrigerator can impact the amount of food you waste. All rights reserved. An innovative assessment of food waste at a U.S. school by an international team of researchers suggests that American school cafeterias waste more food than those in other developed countries, and the true costs extend well beyond just the weight of food not eaten. 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