New report highlights water and carbon impact of wasted food
The water and carbon footprint of wasted household food in the UK has been identified for the first time, highlighting the major environmental consequences of food waste, both in this country and globally.
The report, The Water and Carbon Footprint of Household Food Waste in the UK - jointly published by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) and WWF today (Tuesday 22 March) - found that water used to produce food that householders in the UK then waste represents 6% of the UK’s water requirements, (6.2 billion cubic metres per year), a quarter of which originates in the UK.
The 6.2 billion cubic metres of water used to produce the 5.3 million tonnes of food that householders waste every year is nearly twice the annual household water usage of the UK.
The same wasted food also represents 3% of the UK’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions (14 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent) with further emissions arising abroad (6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent). In total, these greenhouse gas emissions are the same as those created by 7 million cars each year.
Liz Goodwin, chief executive at WRAP, said the new findings provided fresh context for the organisation’s work to prevent food waste:
“These figures are quite staggering. The water footprint for wasted food – 280 litres per person, per day - is nearly twice the average daily household water use of the UK, 150 litres per person per day.”