Food waste produced annually in selected countries worldwide 2020. China and India produce more household food waste than any other country worldwide at an estimated 92 million and 69 million metric tons every year, respectively.
With each person binning nearly 300 kilograms of food a year, Australia still sits in fourth position on the global food wastage rank.
France. As well as taking pride in its reputation as a gourmet nation, France can also be proud of its record in curbing food waste. The country has repeatedly earned the top spot in the Food Sustainability Index.
The majority of food waste in Australia comes from our homes. Australian households waste 2.5 million tonnes of food each year, or more than four kilograms per household per week. Organic material makes up about half of what Queenslanders throw away in their wheelie bin each week.
In 2020-21, Australia generated 75.8 mega tonnes (Mt) of total waste, including 14 Mt from households and local government, 32.8 Mt from the commercial and industrial sector and 29 Mt from construction and demolition. 75.8 Mt of waste is roughly the equivalent weight of 471 Sydney Opera Houses.
Food Waste in Australia
Australian households account for the majority of food waste (2.46 million tonnes) 70% of the 7.6 million tonnes of food wasted in Australia every year is edible. Australian households throw away around one in five bags of groceries, equal to around 312kg per person.
South Korea created its Waste Management Law in 1986, a practical step to achieving a no-waste country. The law focused on reducing the millions of tonnes of waste dumped at landfills. To reduce the high quantities of plastic in the garbage, the government banned the use of disposable plastic bags and containers.
According to the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2022, Australia ranks 22nd in terms of food quality and safety.
Most used materials – waste generation vs recycling
In 2020-21, the three largest sources of waste were building and demolition (25.2 mega tonnes), organics (14.4 mega tonnes), and ash from C&I electricity generation (12 mega tonnes).
Up to 1.3 billion tonnes of perfectly edible food is wasted each year. Here's what we can all do about it.
Just how much food do Americans waste? Here's some “food” for thought: While the world wastes about 2.5 billion tons of food every year, the United States discards more food than any other country in the world: nearly 60 million tons — 120 billion pounds — every year.
Germany produces the most household food waste in Europe, but on average each person produces 75 kilograms of food waste every year.
Because of its strict zero food waste policies, sustainable agricultural practices, and the healthy eating habits of its people, France has retained the top spot in the Food Sustainability Index, a study of 34 countries by The Economist Intelligence Unit and the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition Foundation.
Germany has the highest recycling rate in the world. The nation recycles an impressive 66.1% of its waste. How did it become the world's best recycler? The key has been no-nonsense government policy and German citizens getting on board.
China previously imported about 55.7% of the world's plastic waste. They import up to 8.88 million tons of plastic waste yearly because they are the largest plastic recycling industry in the world. The USA, Japan, and Europe 7, respectively, exported 77.9%, 87.6%, and 57.5% of their plastic waste to China1.
Food is the most common form of waste, accounting for almost 50 percent of global MSW. Millions of tons of food is wasted every year, especially fruit and vegetables. Much like other waste forms, the United States is a major producer of food waste, generating almost 100 million metric tons of food waste every year.
The six countries above have the highest recycling and composting rates in the world. Germany takes the cake, recycling and composting 65% of waste. South Korea is second best, ethically getting rid of 59% of its waste. Coming in close behind are Austria and Slovenia, which tie for third place at rates of 58%.
Worldwide, the biggest producer of waste per capita is Canada. At an estimated 36.1 metric tons per year, this was 10 metric tons more per capita than the United States. Canada produces an estimated 1.33 billion metric tons of waste per year, with 1.12 billion metric tons of this generated by industrial waste.
But there's a long way to go. Japan, known for its hygiene-oriented culture of packaging, is the second highest packaging waste producer in the world, with its citizens using as many as 450 plastic shopping bags each year. Globally, plastic waste generation more than doubled between 2000 and 2019 to 353 million tons.
Australia is one of the most food secure nations in the world, with access to a wide variety of healthy and nutritious foods. Australia is one of the most food secure countries in the world, for several reasons. Australia produces much more food than it consumes, exporting around 70% of agricultural production.
Major food and grocery retailers in Australia have partnered with food recovery organisations and committed to reducing the amount of food waste that goes to landfill. This means retailers can meet their food waste reduction goals and also help charities to alleviate poverty and reduce food insecurity.
Whether it's the pizza you ordered in, a pan full of stir-fry, or last night's pasta, leftovers are unfortunately one of the most commonly wasted food items. Discover our tips to using leftover spaghetti bolognese, leftover barbecue meats, even leftover cake!