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The Climate Change and Economic Impacts of Food Waste in the United States

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  • Venkat, Kumar

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Venkat, Kumar, 2012. "The Climate Change and Economic Impacts of Food Waste in the United States," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 2(4), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ijofsd:144840
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.144840
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amani, Pegah & Schiefer, Gerhard, 2011. "Review on Suitability of Available LCIA Methodologies for Assessing Environmental Impact of the Food Sector," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 2(2), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Pelletier, Nathan & Pirog, Rich & Rasmussen, Rebecca, 2010. "Comparative life cycle environmental impacts of three beef production strategies in the Upper Midwestern United States," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(6), pages 380-389, July.
    3. Kevin D Hall & Juen Guo & Michael Dore & Carson C Chow, 2009. "The Progressive Increase of Food Waste in America and Its Environmental Impact," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(11), pages 1-6, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. David Laborde & Simla Tokgoz & Maximo Torero, 2013. "Long-Term Drivers of Food and Nutrition Security," FOODSECURE Working papers 6, LEI Wageningen UR.
    2. Alehile, Kehinde Samuel, 2023. "Climate Change Effects on Employment in the Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 11(3), pages 1-23.
    3. Christian John Reynolds & Miranda Mirosa & Brent Clothier, 2016. "New Zealand’s Food Waste: Estimating the Tonnes, Value, Calories and Resources Wasted," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Adaryani, Rasool Lavaei & Palouj, Mojtaba & Gholami, Hesamedin & Baghestany, Ali Akbar & Damirchi, Milad Joodi & Dadar, Mohsen & Seifollahi, Naser, 2025. "Predicting household food waste behavior: Bringing food literacy and purchasing power into the theory of planned behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    5. Tatjana Tokareva & Aija Eglite & Dace Kaufmane, 2017. "Sustainable Production And Use Of Resources Versus Food Wasting," Economy & Business Journal, International Scientific Publications, Bulgaria, vol. 11(1), pages 458-465.
    6. Mariantonietta Fiore & Francesco Cont? & Giustina Pellegrini, 2015. "Reducing Food Losses: A (Dis)-Opportunity Cost Model," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(1), pages 151-166.
    7. Kelly Cosgrove & Maricarmen Vizcaino & Christopher Wharton, 2021. "COVID-19-Related Changes in Perceived Household Food Waste in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-11, January.
    8. Rosemary Green & James Milner & Alan Dangour & Andy Haines & Zaid Chalabi & Anil Markandya & Joseph Spadaro & Paul Wilkinson, 2015. "The potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the UK through healthy and realistic dietary change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 129(1), pages 253-265, March.
    9. Ujor, Victor & Bharathidasan, Ashok Kumar & Cornish, Katrina & Ezeji, Thaddeus Chukwuemeka, 2014. "Feasibility of producing butanol from industrial starchy food wastes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 590-598.
    10. Cicatiello, Clara & Franco, Silvio & Pancino, Barbara & Blasi, Emanuele, 2016. "The value of food waste: An exploratory study on retailing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 96-104.
    11. Schuster, Monica & Delgado, Luciana & Torero, Maximo, "undated". "The Reality of Food Losses: A New Measurement Methodology," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 273859, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    12. repec:plo:pone00:0127881 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Secondi, Luca & Principato, Ludovica & Laureti, Tiziana, 2015. "Household food waste behaviour in EU-27 countries: A multilevel analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 25-40.

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