The climate change and economic impacts of food waste in the United States
Open accessAbstract
This study analyzes the climate change and economic impacts of food waste in the United States. Using loss-adjusted national food availability data for 134 food commodities, it calculates the greenhouse gas emissions due to wasted food using life cycle assessment and the economic cost of the waste using retail prices. The analysis shows that avoidable food waste in the US exceeds 55 million metric tonnes per year, nearly 29% of annual production. This waste produces life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of at least 113 million metric tonnes of CO2e annually, equivalent to 2% of national emissions, and costs $198 billion.
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Avoidable food waste in the US results in 113 million metric tons of CO2e every year.
“Specifically, avoidable food waste in the US results in 113 million metric tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalents) every year (Venkat, 2012).”
From Waste watchers: A food waste reduction intervention among households in Arizona (2021) · cites this paper as Venkat, 2012
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References 11 · Cited by 250
- Authors
- Venkat, K.
- Corresponding author
- Venkat, Kumar
- Venue
- International Journal on Food System Dynamics
- Publisher
- Walter de Gruyter GmbH
- Published
- 2011-03-27
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 431-446
- ISSN
- 1869-6945 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2108034568
- Cited by
- 250
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 10.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- International journal on food system dynamics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- International Center for Food Chain and Network Research, Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
- AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Keywords
- food waste, climate change impacts, greenhouse gas emissions, life cycle assessment, food availability, avoidable food waste, food commodities, United States
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