Green Field Solutions is committed to scientifically and systematically reducing global food waste and its environmental impact. We do that by creating value and potential for otherwise discarded food by-products. In 2023, GFS rerouted more than 1.2 billion pounds of food waste from landfills.
Food Waste: Facts, Figures and Infographics
Keeping food waste out of landfills is just one of the many attributes of cultivating sustainable food systems. To repurpose with purpose is as much landfill avoidance as it is a commitment to circular economy methods, meaning cycling discarded food waste back into agricultural production. In 2023, GFS rerouted more than one billion pounds of food waste from landfills, giving it a higher purpose as high-quality, nutritious ingredients in animal and pet food.
As global demand for animal protein products rises, so does the need to feed our food more sustainably. A growing population can strain the global food supply as well as the resources needed to support it—from the soil under our feet to the air we breathe to life’s basic need for water—it’s all impacted by feeding the food that feeds us. As animals are fed more sustainably, the global supply chain becomes more resilient, crops/land/water are preserved and consumer trust can be built…among a much longer list of merits.
An example of the circular economy model:
The 1.2 billion pounds of residual food that GFS diverted from landfills in 2023, supplemented the diets of approximately 3.1 million calves and cows, and 200 million cows, which helped feed 1.5 million people. We also contributed 15 million pounds of ingredients for pet food.
Environmental Equivalents
The EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator is a tool that helps companies quantify their environmental impact. Green Field Solutions’ landfill diversion has a CO2 reduction equivalent of 325,000 metric tons or 40,000 tons of methane, which is similar to:
- 42,383 homes’ electricity use for one year, or
- 21.4 billion smartphones charged, or
- 36.5 million gallons of gas consumed
Similarly, Green Field Solutions’ 2023 environmental impact is equal to the carbon sequestered by:
- 5.3 billion tree seedlings grown for 10 years, or
- 379,447 acres of U.S. forests in one year
Committed to a food secure future
By partnering with Green Field Solutions, some of the world’s largest food manufacturers are contributing to a better global food source and greener planet. Our commitment to researching and discovering the best economic use for our clients’ food by-products is at the same time a commitment to reducing food waste and improving sustainable food production.
