EPA Reports 66 Million Tons of U.S. Food Waste in 2019, Tied to 8% of Global Carbon Emissions

Context Food waste occurs at retail stores, restaurants, and homes. The EPA’s Advancing Sustainable Materials Management report tracks waste streams by weighing landfill inputs and conducting composition surveys. Researchers sort samples from landfills to estimate the share of food versus other materials. They combine these measurements with sales and consumption data to calculate total waste generated.

The agency’s methodology relies on periodic waste characterization studies conducted at selected landfills across the country. Teams collect and sort waste into categories such as food, paper, plastics, and metals. By weighing each category and extrapolating to national totals, the EPA estimates the volume of food waste generated each year. This approach allows tracking changes over time and identifying major sources.

Key Facts The EPA estimated 66 million tons of food waste in 2019 across the retail, food service, and residential sectors. About 60% of that waste was sent to landfills, making food the largest single component of U.S. municipal solid waste at roughly 24% of landfilled mass. Decomposing food in landfills produces methane, a greenhouse gas with a warming potential 28 times greater than carbon dioxide over a century, and carbon dioxide, together accounting for 8% of worldwide carbon pollution. Separately, confusion over date labels leads to the disposal of roughly 3 billion pounds of food each year, valued at more than $7 billion.

What It Means Reducing food waste can cut greenhouse gas emissions, lower landfill pressure, and save money for businesses and households. Strategies include clearer date labeling, better inventory management, and increased donation or composting of surplus food. Policymakers are considering standardizing date labels and expanding food recovery programs.

What to watch next: the EPA’s upcoming 2024 waste data release and any federal guidance on date label reform that could shift disposal rates.