Cutting Methane Emissions Through Zero Food Waste System
Food waste becomes part of the organic waste stream, increasing the fi nancial burden and environmental risk of municipalities' solid waste management programs. The waste sector is the third largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions globally, contributing to almost 20% of the global share. Methane is a greenhouse gas with a warming potential 82.5 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timeframe. In the waste sector, methane is produced when biodegradable materials, including food waste, break down in an oxygen-restricted environment, as in landfi lls. Overall, food loss and waste account for 8 to 10 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions. The dimension of the food loss and waste produced is a symptom of systemic failures. The modes of (food) production, distribution, retail, and consumption, impact the multiple crises we face: climate change, loss of biodiversity and food sovereignty, overloading of waste management systems, pollution, wastage of water and energy, poverty, and loss of livelihoods, among others. Thus, the response to this problem must be systemic, including interventions throughout the entire food value chain, and be guided by environmental justice and zero waste approaches.
Resource :
1. https://www.no-burn.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Cutting-Methane-Emissions-through-Zero-Food-Waste-Systems-ENG-.pdf
