Food Waste Management is a Key to Better Solid Waste Management: Diverting It from Landfills Requires Funding, Personnel, and Storage Capacity

    Studies in 2020-2021 in Wisconsin identified food waste as composing 20% of solid waste, amounting to 854,000 tons, or 294 pounds per person per year. The study also concluded that three-quarters of that food waste could have been consumed. A new study indicates that food waste in the state has increased since then to 900,000 tons per year, and 47% of food waste was derived from residents.

     Other studies indicate that 40% of food ends up as food waste at a cost of as much as $3000 per household. I can confidently say that is not the case with me since I use my food efficiently and waste very little of it. In September 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the EPA announced the U.S. 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction goal of reducing food waste by half by 2030. Below are some data from the EPA’s 2019 Wasted Food Report, which was published in 2023. In attempting to discern whether EPA was meeting its goal, they noted in that report:

“In 2021, EPA updated the baseline and goal for the food waste part of the national goal to align with the food waste scope for Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 (United Nations, 2019), which aims to cut in half the amount of food from the food retail, food service, and residential sectors that has been removed from the human food supply chain (i.e., food waste that is being sent to: anaerobic digestion; composting; land application; controlled combustion; landfill; sewer/wastewater; and litter, discards and refuse).”

     The UN estimates that food loss and waste account for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of $1 trillion.

“In 2022, according to UNEP, 19% of food available to consumers was wasted at the retail, food service, and household level, in addition to the 13% of the world's food lost in the supply chain, as estimated by FAO. This level of waste is not only a missed opportunity to feed those in need but also a significant environmental burden.”

     According to the UN, the world is behind the trajectory of meeting the declared Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for reducing food loss and waste. For that goal to be achieved, an acceleration of reducing that waste will be required. Frankly, it seems unlikely that the U.S. or the UN will meet their food waste reduction goals, although we should be able to stabilize the issue and show some meaningful reduction. Significant challenges remain.

     The new Wisconsin study quantifies food waste, how much is diverted from landfills, and how it is diverted.  Food donation outlets are one method of diversion. Only 2% of statewide food waste in 2023 in Wisconsin, according to data. Another method of diversion is composting. The state has 286 licensed composting facilities, but only 30 accept food waste. Composting can reduce methane emissions from food as it decomposes.

     The report recommends increasing food rescue programs and promoting or incentivizing donations, including for use as animal feed. This is in line with EPA recommendations. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources notes that prevention has the most impact on food waste. Since residential food waste is the biggest source of landfilled food waste, focusing on residential food waste reduction can be impactful. Recommendations include better food storage and a better understanding of food dates. Other diversion methods include home composting and feeding animals. I used to do both, but I don’t compost much anymore. For me, even a small amount of composting generated too many fruit gnats. However, the local deer, raccoons, possums, and mice can often find (appropriate) food treats in the yard.

     Better food waste management means less food waste going to landfills, and this means less solid waste overall and less methane emissions, since food waste is readily converted to methane in landfills.

References:

 

New study finds surprising source of more than 20% of state's landfills: 'We're looking to ... increase public awareness'. Susan Elizabeth Turek. The Cool Down. February 13, 2026.  New study finds surprising source of more than 20% of state's landfills: 'We're looking to ... increase public awareness'

More than 900K tons of food waste ends up in Wisconsin landfills, report finds: Food waste made up 20 percent of the 4.5M tons of trash at Wisconsin landfills in 2024. Danielle Kaeding. Wisconsin Public Radio. February 5, 2026. More than 900K tons of food waste ends up in Wisconsin landfills, report finds - WPR

REDUCING FOOD WASTE AT HOME. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Reducing Food Waste at Home | | Wisconsin DNR

United States 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal. U.S. EPA. United States 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal | US EPA

2019 Wasted Food Report: Estimates of generation and management of wasted food in the United States in 2019. U.S. EPA. April 2023. 2019 Wasted Food Report

Food loss and waste account for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions; cost USD 1 trillion annually. UN Climate Change. 30 September 2024. Food loss and waste account for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions; cost USD 1 trillion annually | UNFCCC