Value From Waste Streams: The Potential For Nutrient and Chemical Recovery From Food Waste

Food waste is a large contributor to the global problem of pollution and emissions. It has been speculated that up to 40% of all food produced ends up being discarded, across all stages of the food production process (1). The amount of food discarded by developed nations now outweighs the net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (2). Food waste, being largely organic materials, is quickly broken down by bacteria into methane and carbon dioxide, especially when left to decompose when disposed of in landfill sites. Up to 10% of all green house gas emissions are caused by decaying food waste (3).