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New Zealand’s Food Waste: Estimating the Tonnes, Value, Calories and Resources Wasted

Author

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  • Christian John Reynolds

    (The Barbara Hardy Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Boulevard, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia)

  • Miranda Mirosa

    (Consumer Food Science, Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand)

  • Brent Clothier

    (Plant & Food Research, Food Industry Science Centre, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand)

Abstract

We used macro-economic data and aggregated waste data to estimate that, in 2011, New Zealand households generated over 224,000 tonnes of food waste, and New Zealand industry generated over 103,000 tonnes of food waste. We split New Zealand’s food waste into 14 food-waste categories and found that 7% is related to “fresh” produce, and 93% “processed” food waste. The value of New Zealand’s food waste in 2011 is estimated to be NZ $568 million, or $131 per person. Furthermore, New Zealand’s food waste represents 163 × 10 9 calories in total, and avoidable food waste would be able to feed between 50,000 and 80,000 people a year. New Zealand food waste embodies 4.2 × 10 6 tonnes of CO 2 -e, 4.7 × 10 9 m 3 of water, and 29 × 10 3 TJ of energy. Nonetheless, we find that, compared to other nations, New Zealanders waste less food per capita by weight, value and calorie.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian John Reynolds & Miranda Mirosa & Brent Clothier, 2016. "New Zealand’s Food Waste: Estimating the Tonnes, Value, Calories and Resources Wasted," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:6:y:2016:i:1:p:9-:d:64291
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cammock, Radilaite & Tonumaipe’a, Daysha & Conn, Cath & Sa’uLilo, Losi & Tautolo, El-Shadan & Nayar, Shoba, 2021. "From individual behaviour strategies to sustainable food systems: Countering the obesity and non communicable diseases epidemic in New Zealand," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(2), pages 229-238.
    2. Edgar Battand Towa Kouokam & Vanessa Zeller & Wouter Achten, 2019. "Input-output models and waste management analysis: A critical review," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/359535, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Edgar Battand Towa Kouokam & Vanessa Zeller & Stefano Merciai & Wouter Achten, 2021. "Regional waste footprint and waste treatments analysis," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/332189, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Li Jia & Guanghua Qiao, 2022. "Quantification, Environmental Impact, and Behavior Management: A Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Global Food Waste Research Based on CiteSpace," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.

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