Food Waste Statistics: Where Wasted Food Goes
Published September 21, 2026 · StatsGalore
Estimated share sent to landfill [1]
EPA estimated that food retail, food service, and residential sectors generated 66,216,242 U.S. tons of wasted food in 2019. Its management table assigned 59.84% to landfill. Manufacturing and processing are reported separately and are not included in that headline total. [1]
The numbers
| Management pathway | Share of the defined total | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Landfill | 59.84% | [1] |
| Controlled combustion | 14.57% | [1] |
| Donation | 7.76% | [1] |
| Sewer/wastewater treatment | 6.00% | [1] |
| Composting | 4.99% | [1] |
| Bio-based materials/biochemical processing | 3.53% | [1] |
| Animal feed | 2.29% | [1] |
| Anaerobic digestion | 0.81% | [1] |
| Land application | 0.21% | [1] |
The sector boundary comes first
The headline combines retail, food service, and residential sources. It does not represent only household leftovers, and it excludes the separately reported manufacturing and processing sector. A claim about family behavior would need a narrower source.
Sector boundaries matter when comparing reports. Two totals can differ because they count different parts of the food system.
[1]Management pathways are distinct
The table shows how the estimated material was distributed across defined pathways. Donation, composting, and landfill are separate categories in this accounting. Their inclusion does not mean they have the same practical outcome.
The percentages use the same defined sector total. Small differences from an exact total can occur because displayed shares are rounded.
[1]The measurement year is historical
These are estimates for 2019. A later webpage update can correct a method or explain a result without turning the underlying numbers into current-year observations. The data year remains visible here.
EPA expanded its food measurement approach before this period. Long-run comparisons need to account for changed scope and management pathways.
[1]A national estimate is not an individual audit
The source combines studies and reported information to estimate material flows. It is not a weighing of every discarded item in every home. The number’s precision should not be confused with complete direct observation.
For an organization or household, its own measured waste audit answers a different question. National figures provide context, while local measurement identifies its actual quantities and pathways.
[1]Sources & notes
EPA 2019 wasted-food management estimates. Food retail, food service, and residential sectors only; U.S. tons. Manufacturing/processing is separate. Shares are rounded.
Source review: 2026-09-15. Article publication and underlying data dates are separate. How we use statistics · Suggest a correction