Have we ever stopped to consider where the food and materials we toss into our dustbins actually go? Do we even know what becomes of them, or the damage they leave behind? The truth is staggering: nearly 19% of all food available to consumers, around 1 billion tonnes, was wasted in 2022 alone. This is not just about food waste; it is a global crisis in disguise.

Food loss and waste are deeply interconnected with climate change, contributing up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 14% of global methane emissions. Every discarded bite, every spoiled morsel, silently fuels a warming world, polluting the air we breathe and imperilling ecosystems. In short, the waste we shrug off as trivial is actually one of the greatest threats to our planet and to our very future.

At every stage of the food supply chain, from crop cultivation and harvesting to transportation, storage, packaging, and disposal, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. The real danger escalates when food waste reaches landfills. There, chemical reactions and microbial activity set it in motion, decomposing it and releasing foul odours and potent methane gas, which is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over its first two decades. Scientists are only beginning to trace its major global sources, which include domesticated livestock, rice cultivation, oil and gas leaks, and landfills, all of which silently fuel climate change.

According to the Global Methane Assessment by UNEP and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC, 2021), over half of global methane emissions come from just three sources: agriculture (40%), fossil fuels (35% of human-caused emissions), and waste (20%).

While hunger remains a pressing issue worldwide, millions struggle to access food, and global waste continues at an alarming scale. UN research estimates that between 638 and 720 million people, around 7.8–8.8% of the world’s population, experienced hunger in 2024, including 323 million in Asia. Southern Asia saw a decline for the fourth consecutive year, with 206.4 million fewer people unable to afford a healthy diet compared to 2020.

The Food Waste Index Report 2024 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reveals that Bangladesh generates 14.10 million tonnes of household food waste annually. Each person discards about 82 kg of food per year, exceeding the waste levels in developed countries such as the United States (73 kg), the Netherlands (59 kg), and Japan (60 kg). In 2021, the figure for Bangladesh stood at 65 kg per person, totalling 10.62 million tonnes of household waste. A closer look at the waste sector shows that households account for 60% (631 million tonnes) of food waste, followed by food services at 28% (290 million tonnes) and retail at 12% (131 million tonnes), bringing the total to approximately 1.05 billion tonnes. In Bangladesh, rising food waste not only adds to the climate and environmental burden but also threatens food security amid rising prices, climate change, and global uncertainties.

In urban areas like Dhaka, waste management is particularly challenging. On any given day, one sees waste pickers collecting and sorting household trash, a vital but never-ending task in keeping cities clean. In Bangladesh, landfills such as the Matuail Sanitary Landfill in Dhaka have long exceeded capacity. Reports published in 2021 by Bloomberg indicate that it emits around 4,000 kg of methane per hour, equivalent to the emissions of 190,000 traditional cars.

The Food Waste Index Report 2024 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reveals that Bangladesh generates 14.10 million tonnes of household food waste annually. Each person discards about 82 kg of food per year, exceeding the waste levels in developed countries such as the United States (73 kg), the Netherlands (59 kg), and Japan (60 kg).

Across the country, landfills continue to emit methane, and the problem intensifies in winter, when waste is set on fire, releasing toxic fumes that pose serious health risks.

Although more than 51 per cent of the waste sent to landfills is compostable, poor management means that organic and dry waste are dumped together. In developed countries, waste is separated at the source; households sort biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials during collection, the most basic step in effective waste management.

If managed properly through separation, recycling, composting, and methane capture, waste could provide both organic fertiliser and usable fuel, while reducing emissions.

Since households are the largest contributors to food waste, responsible consumption at home is key. Families should shop and cook according to actual needs, avoid leftovers, and order only what they can eat when dining out. Large-scale waste is common at weddings and in restaurants; initiatives like food banks and food rescue programmes can help redirect surplus food to those in need, and such initiatives should be promoted and supported. 

Proper waste management starts with data. Tracking per capita food waste from production to consumption helps to plan interventions effectively. Waste should be segregated at source, and communities should have safe disposal areas with monitoring systems. Schools must educate students on the environmental and social impacts of food waste. Composting at home or in community facilities can transform waste into a valuable resource.

Reducing methane emissions is one of the most effective ways to slow global warming. A report by UNEP and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) noted that measures such as cutting food waste, improving livestock management, and adopting healthier diets (vegetarian or lower meat and dairy consumption) could reduce emissions by 65–80 million tonnes per year, avoid 0.3°C of warming by the 2040s, and prevent 255,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits, 73 billion lost work hours, and 26 million tonnes of crop losses annually.

Stronger regional and global coordination is critical to achieving the 2030 methane reduction targets. In Bangladesh, embracing zero-waste approaches is essential. This includes reducing waste, using resources efficiently, and creating systemic change towards a circular economy. Proper landfill management, source segregation, composting, community monitoring, and public awareness campaigns are all critical steps.

Careless disposal is not a trivial matter; it threatens our environment, public health, and future survival, as toxic gases from discarded food continue to pollute the atmosphere.

Today, on International Zero Waste Day, with the theme of food waste, let us remember that reducing food waste is not only an environmental responsibility but also a social and economic one. Every meal we consume and every scrap we discard matters.

Saudia Afrin is an environmentalist and journalist turned development practitioner.

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