Food Waste In America Statistics
The annual value of this lost food is estimated at around 31 billion but the real story is that roughly 49 million people could have been fed by those lost resources.
Food waste in america statistics. While the government must do its part the population must too. Estimates of food waste generated by industrial manufacturing and processing and wholesale and distribution industries is not included in this analysis as it is considered. People need to learn to appreciate biodiversity ugly fruits and veggies and local producers more. Americans waste about a pound of food per person each day with people who have healthier diets rich in fruit and vegetables the most wasteful research has found.
Food waste affects the environment. According to the us department of agriculture up to one fifth of americas food goes to waste each year with an estimated 130 pounds of food per person ending up in landfills. 10 percent or 43 billion pounds of food in grocery stores will never make it off the shelf. Distribution of food waste statistics.
The united states is the global leader in food waste with americans discarding nearly 40 million tons of food every year. Most of it is put into landfills. The most needed changes are on a cultural level. 2010 was selected as a baseline at 2189 pounds of food waste per person sent for disposal.
As you can see as food waste increases theres little effort to manage it in a way that helps the environment. Food waste generation is estimated from the residential commercial and institutional sectors and is measured at the point waste is ready to be managed which excludes food that is diverted to feed people and animals. Is never eaten tons of food is wasted each year america wasted 3379 million tons of food in 2010 enough to fill the empire state building 91 times in 2010 discarded food represented the single largest component every day americans waste enough food to of municipal solid waste fill the rose bowl. For produce about 12 percent of fruit and 115 percent of vegetables are never sold.
The 2030 flw reduction goal aims to reduce food waste going to landfills by 50 percent to 1094 pounds per person. Retail food waste statistics. 2 5 percent of all food products are lost because buyers reject shipments due to cosmetic imperfections surplus or other issues like improper transportation or handling. Food waste facts statistics globally 40 4 billion of food in the us.
Heres some food for thought. Food waste share from retail food service and households by category 2017 share of food wasted in the united states in 2016 by food category north americas money invested in food lost and.