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U.S. food waste reference

110 U.S. Food Waste Statistics: Facts, Tons & Disposal

How much food is wasted in the United States, where does it come from, and where does it go? This reference starts with the few numbers that answer those questions, then gives the supporting facts for reporters, students and waste-industry readers.

Published by
Wastemanagement Jobs Editorial Team
Last source check
Coverage
United States; EPA 1960–2019 material-flow and 2018–2019 wasted-food estimates
Source policy: We cite the original EPA report or dataset on every fact. The latest detailed national estimate is for 2019, so this page does not pretend historical data is a 2026 measurement.

At a glance

The numbers worth knowing first

66.2M

tons from homes, retail and food service

EPA’s 2019 estimate for those three sectors. Manufacturing and processing are measured separately.

EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report

349 lb

per person in the 2019 goal pathways

EPA reports this per-capita measure for six management pathways, not every form of food loss.

EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report

110 sourced facts, organised by the questions readers actually ask. The supporting detail follows the quick picture above.

Scale and sectors

Where U.S. food waste comes from

Food waste is not one single stream. EPA estimates households, food retail, food service, and manufacturing/processing separately because the places, measurement methods and recovery options differ.

Start here if you need a sector comparison. The facts distinguish a national total from intensity measures such as pounds per household, meal, employee or facility.

  1. Food manufacturing and processing: 0.095 lbs/sales$/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  2. Residential: 337.9 lbs/household/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  3. Residential food waste as a percent of total household waste: 17.0 percent in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  4. Food retail supermarkets: 2.0 tons/employee/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  5. Food retail supercenters: 0.38 tons/employee/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  6. Food retail supermarkets and supercenters: 104.9 tons/establishment/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  7. Food wholesale: 10.0 lbs/thousand dollars revenue/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  8. Food wholesale: 120.7 tons/facility/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  9. Food service hotels: 1,137.8 lbs/employee/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  10. Food service full-service restaurants: 3,050.7 lbs/employee/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  11. Food service full-service restaurants: 39.1 tons/facility/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  12. Food service full-service restaurants: 33.0 lbs/thousand dollars revenue/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  13. Food service limited-service restaurants: 2,751.3 lbs/employee/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  14. Food service limited-service restaurants: 40.9 tons/facility/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  15. Food service limited-service restaurants: 33.0 lbs/thousand dollars revenue/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  16. Food service sports venues: 0.31 lbs/visitor/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  17. Food service hospitals: 653.1 lbs/bed/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  18. Food service hospitals: 0.47 lbs/meal in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  19. Food service nursing homes: 657.0 lbs/bed/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  20. Food service nursing homes: 0.55 lbs/meal in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  21. Food service military installations: 105.3 lbs/person/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  22. Food service office buildings: 169.9 lbs/employee/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  23. Food service office buildings: 0.22 tons/1,000 sq ft/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  24. Food service correctional facilities: 1.1 lbs/inmate/day in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  25. Food service colleges and universities: 0.36 lbs/student/meal in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  26. Food service colleges and universities: 0.44 lbs/student/meal in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  27. Food service colleges and universities: 0.01 tons/student/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  28. Food service K-12 schools: 26.3 lbs/student/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019

Management pathways

Where wasted food goes

Landfill is the largest reported pathway in EPA’s 2019 estimate for households, food retail and food service. Donation, animal feed, composting and digestion are counted separately; none means the same thing as “recycled.”

The following facts preserve the pathway and sector alongside the tonnage so a recovery number is not mistaken for a disposal total.

  1. Food service K-12 schools: 0.43 lbs/meal in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  2. Food banks: 372.5 tons/establishment/year in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  3. Residential generated an estimated 26,502,346 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  4. Food retail—supermarkets and supercenters generated an estimated 8,998,443 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  5. Food wholesale generated an estimated 3,973,516 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  6. Food service—hotels generated an estimated 1,196,076 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  7. Food service—restaurants (full and limited service) generated an estimated 18,337,784 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  8. Food service—sports venues generated an estimated 39,702 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  9. Food service—hospitals generated an estimated 298,576 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  10. Food service—nursing homes generated an estimated 415,591 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  11. Food service—military installations generated an estimated 62,627 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  12. Food service—office buildings generated an estimated 4,093,447 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  13. Food service—correctional facilities generated an estimated 425,232 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  14. Food service—colleges and universities generated an estimated 624,371 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  15. Food service—K-12 schools generated an estimated 1,248,532 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  16. Food banks generated an estimated 473,027 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  17. Food retail, food service, and residential sectors combined generated an estimated 66,216,242 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  18. Food manufacturing and processing generated an estimated 40,050,707 tons of wasted food in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  19. Donation managed 5,135,293 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  20. Animal feed managed 1,516,771 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  21. Bio-based materials/biochemical processing managed 2,335,988 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  22. Anaerobic digestion managed 538,539 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  23. Composting managed 3,304,764 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  24. Land application managed 141,371 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  25. Controlled combustion managed 9,646,263 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  26. Landfill managed 39,621,902 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  27. Sewer/wastewater treatment managed 3,975,352 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  28. Total managed 66,216,242 tons from food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019

Time series

How food management has changed

EPA’s material-flow series is useful for looking at changes over time, while the wasted-food report is better for understanding individual sectors. They answer related but different questions.

A long-run material-flow figure should be used as historical context, not as a direct comparison with a narrowly defined sector estimate.

  1. Donation managed 2,205,990 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  2. Animal feed managed 13,709,339 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  3. Bio-based materials/biochemical processing managed 64,737 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  4. Anaerobic digestion managed 17,055,531 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  5. Composting managed 583,305 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  6. Land application managed 5,183,851 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  7. Controlled combustion managed 330,326 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  8. Landfill managed 917,630 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  9. Sewer/wastewater treatment managed 0 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  10. Total managed 40,050,707 tons from food manufacturing and processing sector in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  11. Donation accounted for 7.76% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  12. Animal feed accounted for 2.29% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  13. Bio-based materials/biochemical processing accounted for 3.53% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  14. Anaerobic digestion accounted for 0.81% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  15. Composting accounted for 4.99% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  16. Land application accounted for 0.21% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  17. Controlled combustion accounted for 14.57% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  18. Landfill accounted for 59.84% of food managed by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors in 2019.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  19. In 2016, total wasted food generation was 62,231,998 tons.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2016
  20. In 2016, total food waste sent to the food management pathways of interest was 52,946,283 tons.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2016
  21. In 2016, per-capita food waste sent to the food management pathways of interest was 328 pounds per capita.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2016
  22. In 2018, total wasted food generation was 63,132,123 tons.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  23. In 2018, total food waste sent to the food management pathways of interest was 54,688,348 tons.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  24. In 2018, per-capita food waste sent to the food management pathways of interest was 335 pounds per capita.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  25. In 2019, total wasted food generation was 66,216,242 tons.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  26. In 2019, total food waste sent to the food management pathways of interest was 57,228,191 tons.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  27. In 2019, per-capita food waste sent to the food management pathways of interest was 349 pounds per capita.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  28. In 2018, per-capita food waste managed in the pathways of interest was 2% higher than the 2016 baseline.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018

Baselines and comparisons

How to quote food-waste data accurately

The most useful food-waste statistic names its year, population and unit. “Tons,” “pounds per household,” and “pounds per person” describe different measures and should not be swapped.

This final set includes the reference values behind the main estimates above, so readers can trace a headline number back to its scope.

  1. In 2019, per-capita food waste managed in the pathways of interest was 6% higher than the 2016 baseline.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2019
  2. Residential generated an estimated 24,954,863 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  3. Supermarkets and supercenters generated an estimated 8,683,093 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  4. Food wholesale generated an estimated 3,968,229 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  5. Hotels generated an estimated 1,219,595 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  6. Restaurants (full and limited service) generated an estimated 17,090,835 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  7. Sports venues generated an estimated 38,154 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  8. Hospitals generated an estimated 301,576 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  9. Nursing homes generated an estimated 451,124 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  10. Military installations generated an estimated 61,373 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  11. Office buildings generated an estimated 4,065,145 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  12. Correctional facilities generated an estimated 440,679 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  13. Colleges and universities generated an estimated 613,106 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  14. K-12 schools generated an estimated 1,244,353 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  15. Food banks generated an estimated 426,057 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  16. Food retail, food service, and residential sectors combined generated an estimated 63,132,123 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  17. Food manufacturing and processing generated an estimated 39,821,247 tons of wasted food in 2018.EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report · 2018
  18. 12,200 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 1960 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 1960
  19. 12,800 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 1970 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 1970
  20. 13,000 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 1980 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 1980
  21. 23,860 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 1990 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 1990
  22. 30,700 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 2000 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 2000
  23. 32,930 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 2005 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 2005
  24. 35,740 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 2010 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 2010
  25. 39,730 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 2015 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 2015
  26. 40,670 thousand U.S. tons of food generated in 2017 (1960–2019 data on food in municipal solid waste by weight).EPA Food Material Data · 2017

Methodology

How to use these facts accurately

These are not estimates created by Find Waste Jobs. Each card is a short reading of a named public source. Keep the agency, data year, measure and scope beside a number when you quote it; national material-flow data, occupation data and project inventories do not answer the same question.

Primary sources used on this page

2019 Wasted Food Report: Estimates of Generation and Management of Wasted Food in the United States

EPA 2019 Wasted Food Report

Food: Material-Specific Data

EPA Food Material Data

Keep exploring

Explore the work behind the numbers.

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