Is plastic contamination overlooked while tackling food waste?
What's the story
Plastic contamination should be a key focus in tackling food waste, experts have warned. The call comes as food waste management is one of the few climate-related issues where everyone benefits, as chef, author and activist Max La Manna puts it. The United Nations estimates that about one-third of all food produced globally is wasted every year.
Carbon impact
Food waste in landfills
In the US, 40% of food waste ends up in landfills.
This results in an annual emission of 30 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, more than Cuba's total annual CO2 emissions (24.4 million tons) in 2024.
A recent study published in Nature Food by researchers from the University of Vermont used life-cycle analysis modeling to compare climate impacts, nutrient pollution, and plastic contamination from different food-waste management strategies.
Alternative approaches
Microplastics can survive in compost
The study found that diverting food waste from landfills could reduce climate impacts by 89% to 99%.
These non-landfill methods could also lower nutrient pollution in water bodies, a process called eutrophication.
However, the researchers also highlighted that microplastics can survive in compost and potentially contaminate US agricultural soils with 20,000 tons of plastic each year.
Contamination concerns
Carbon footprint of a product or process
Lead author Kate Porterfield compared the study's method to calculating a "carbon footprint of a product or process." Porterfield also noted that a large amount of wasted food is still packaged and often goes bad before reaching consumers.
Policy impact
Vermont's Universal Recycling Law
Vermont has one of the most ambitious state organics-diversion mandates in the US.
The Universal Recycling Law, effective since 2020, requires food waste to be diverted from landfills.
This applies to all households and bans food scraps from bins.
The authors of this study stressed the need for "more attention to the plastics issue" when designing such policies at a national scale.
Trade-off dilemma
Misconceptions about plastic packaging
Phil Holtam, a co-founder and director of food waste social enterprise Sussex Surplus, said there's a misconception that plastic packaging is unnecessary.
He argued it's a "necessary tradeoff," crucial for extending the shelf life of fresh produce, especially from smallholder farms.
La Manna stressed consumer expectations for perfect-looking food are adding to the waste problem as misshapen or cosmetically imperfect produce often doesn't make it to store shelves.