Research & reports

Chiarella C., Lamoureaux Y., Pires A., Surls R., Bennaton R., Van Soelen-Kim J., Grady S., De Melo Ramos T., Koundinya V., DiCaprio E. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · California, USA

Examines produce gleaning within California's community food recovery networks, focusing on food safety and power dynamics in redistributing would-be-wasted produce.

Jennifer Lyons, Anna Davies · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Germany (Freiburg)

This report, part of the CULTIVATE project, assesses the sustainability impacts of Food Sharing Initiatives (FSIs) in Freiburg. It combines insights from CULTIVATE's Food Sharing Map with sustainability impact assessment (SIA) data submitted by FSIs, estimating impacts across environmental, economic, and social pillars. The report notes that the presented indicators are a subset of total impacts and estimations will become more accurate as more FSIs submit SIA data.

Edmond P. Freo · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Philippines (Quezon City)

This study in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Philippines, assessed the feasibility of an integrated Food-to-Soil-to-Food innovation model using a quantitative approach with 85 household residents. Respondents showed very high awareness of food waste segregation, composting, and urban gardening, and a general willingness to participate, though with some hesitation regarding consistent daily segregation. While a significant positive relationship between awareness and innovation acceptability was found, critical structural barriers included lack of tools, limited community support, and urban space constraints. The study concludes that transforming urban food waste into a circular production system is highly feasible with institutional and logistical support.

Ms. E. Indumathi, R. Ragavi, M. Sandhiya · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · United States

This article surveys initiatives that countries have developed over decades to address the impact of food waste on hunger, including food donation programs and partnerships between large grocery chains and local food banks. In the United States, such efforts are described as distributing food to roughly 37 million hungry Americans each year. Innovative approaches cited include establishing community gardens, expanding access to local farmers' markets, promoting purchase of local produce, and educating communities about the negative impacts of food waste. It highlights the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina (FBCE), which provides food assistance and training through more than 800 partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters), and Waste No Food, a platform connecting food donors (restaurants, caterers, grocery stores) with food rescue organizations while letting donors track their donations.

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) · CalRecycle · United States

CalRecycle's page on permanent regulations under SB 54, California's producer responsibility law for single-use plastic packaging and food service ware, requiring 100% recyclability/compostability, a 65% recycling rate, and a 25% reduction versus 2023 by 2032, with producers funding $500 million per year starting in 2027.

George Gigounas, Kristy Balsanek, Meaghan Colligan Hembree, Felicia Isaac, Jesse Medlong · DLA Piper · United States

A DLA Piper analysis of California's SB 54 extended producer responsibility (EPR) program plan, projecting $9.3–$17.2 billion in costs over five years (2027–2031) with annual producer billing starting in 2027. Plastic reduction targets are 10% (2027), 20% (2030), and 25% (2032), with recycling-rate targets of 30% (2028), 40% (2030), and 65% (2032).

農林水産省 · 農林水産省 大臣官房 新事業・食品産業部 外食・食文化課 · Japan

A portal page from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) that links to yearly estimates (from FY2008 onward) of annual food waste generation and food recycling implementation rates. It explains the estimation method — combining mandatory reports from businesses generating 100+ tonnes/year with estimates for smaller businesses — and links to each fiscal year's detailed PDF or e-Stat data.

農林水産省 · 農林水産省 大臣官房 新事業・食品産業部 · Japan

MAFF's FY2024 estimate of food waste generation and food-recycling implementation rates across Japan's food industry. Total annual generation was 14.634 million tonnes (up 2.6% year on year), with an overall recycling implementation rate of 91% (98% for manufacturing, 63% wholesale, 65% retail, 35% food service). By end use, 76% of recycled material became animal feed and 14% became fertilizer.

環境省 · 環境省 環境再生・資源循環局 廃棄物適正処理推進課 · Japan

Japan's Ministry of the Environment survey results, published March 27, 2026, on FY2024 nationwide municipal solid waste generation and disposal. Total waste generation was 38.11 million tonnes (down 2.2% year on year), the recycling rate was 19.3%, and final disposal volume was 3.06 million tonnes. The number of incineration facilities fell to 991, while those with power generation equipment rose to 415, generating 10,448 GWh in total.

台東区 · 台東区 · Japan

Taito Ward partners with Daimaru Matsuzakaya and Local Food Cycling to sell subsidized home compost containers and run collection events for circular food-waste use. Over the one-year period from December 2024 to November 2025, the ward reports about 5.4 tons of food waste reduction and about 2.6 tons of CO2 reduction.

Pearson, Natalie · British Food Journal · 英国（食を育てる人びとへの質的調査）

It is often argued that growing one's own food reduces household food waste by raising appreciation of food, but focused research on this is lacking. Using thematically analysed qualitative surveys with a privileged sample of food gardeners, this study finds the relationship more complex than proposed: for these gardeners, growing their own food can also decrease appreciation of food and create waste because of the challenges of growing, processing and storing it. Food gardening could nonetheless become an instrumental waste-prevention practice if growing is made easy and convenient, gardeners are given opportunities to work together, more channels exist for sharing surplus, and cooking skills improve. Its contribution is to critique the assumption that growing your own always leads to appreciation of food and less waste.

Huq F.F., Deacon L. · Discover Sustainability (Springer), 6:696 · Global

A systematic review of 37 studies examining how community gardens affect food access, urban resilience, and community well-being, with research interest peaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies inequitable access and weak policy integration as key barriers and calls for inclusive, interdisciplinary, long-term planning.

Otieno J.A., Omia D.O., Amwata D.A. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · East Africa (Kenya)

Evidence-based study demonstrating how vertical gardening (particularly sack farming) in Kibera's informal settlements underpins household food security. Shows how stacking soil-filled sacks vertically enables vegetable production in space-constrained environments, serving as a solution to chronic hunger.

Campbell C., Gusto C., Kelsey K.D., Haase H., Cohen N., Robertson K., Kiker G., Boz Z. · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 14(2):9-26 · United States

A study in which 107 participants in a municipal community compost program in Gainesville, Florida, used a citizen-science approach to measure and record their household food waste for two weeks. Participants generated more than double the EPA's estimate (about 14 lb/week), yet 85.8% reported increased food-waste awareness and 71.5% reported reducing their waste, showing that community composting can nudge household food-loss reduction.

· Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology · Turkey

Produces bokashi compost by fermenting vegetable and fruit wastes with lacto serum and bran in vacuum buckets for 28 days, then characterizes the resulting compost.

· Sustainability · Barcelona, Spain

A systematic review integrating circular economy principles with urban agriculture to build resilient, low-emission urban food systems, using metropolitan Barcelona as a case, discussing zero-waste strategies including redistribution of surplus food.

· Scientific Reports · Nonthaburi, Thailand

Uses stratified random sampling of markets, restaurants, institutions, and residential areas to analyse urban food waste generation and sustainable management strategies in Nonthaburi Municipality, Thailand.

Trenkner M., Kiesel A., Bauerle A., Lewandowski I. · Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining · Stuttgart, Germany

Analyses the technical potential of urban biorefinery concepts for recycling plant nutrients from waste streams and wastewater in a German metropolitan region to close the urban-rural nutrient loop.

Brilian Desca Dianingtyas, Nurina Rahmawati · Agrivet Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Pertanian dan Peternakan (Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Veteriner) · Indonesia (Kediri City)

This research aims to determine the capacity of ruminant livestock to utilize processed vegetable waste from the Ngronggo Wholesale Market in Kediri City as silage. A qualitative descriptive design collected data on waste amount, livestock numbers, and capacity. The potential availability of vegetable waste silage in 2024 is estimated at 11,186.56 kg DM/year, 378.11 kg CP/year, and 8,423.48 kg TDN/year. This silage is concluded to be sufficient to supply over 50% of the total animal units in Kediri City.

Jannat Bahanni, Katia Sakihama Ventura, Emine Fidan, Ashlyn Anderson, Sara Mulville, Jie Zhuang · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global

This study examines the benefits, barriers, and solutions for urban food ecosystem sustainability through a food-energy-water (FEW) nexus lens. A review of recent literature and case studies identified cross-sector barriers, including post-harvest losses, weak cold-chain infrastructure, and fragmented governance. FEW-efficient strategies, such as integrating precision technologies and renewable energy-powered urban agriculture, are proposed to enhance cost-effective production and renewability of urban food ecosystems.

Ana Catarina Morais, Akira Ishida · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Japan

This research investigated factors encouraging Japanese households to engage in composting, applying the theory of consumption values (TCV) and evaluating hypotheses using ordinal partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings indicate that household composting in Japan is influenced by social approval, behavior visibility, composting knowledge, convenience, interest in gardening/farming, and individual availability. Factors like emotions, gender, housing type, and household size did not significantly impact composting practice.

Dailey Fischer, Roberta Romano, Mariana Monteiro Kugler Batista, Mario Prokopiuk, Valério Alécio Turnes, Carlos Alberto Cioce Sampaio · Ambiente & sociedade · Brazil (Curitiba)

An exploratory survey (N=401, n=144) was conducted to assess food waste patterns among consumers involved in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiatives in the Central Urban Core of Curitiba, Brazil. The results showed that participation in CSAs does not significantly influence consumer behavior regarding food waste. This indicates a need for sustainable consumption education and context-specific solutions.

Davit Markosyan, Vardan Aleksanyan, Sargis Gevorgyan · AgriScience and Technology · Armenia

This study investigated the relationship between food security and waste management in Armenia's agri-food system, analyzing data from 2005 to 2022. Findings indicate that increased imports, use, and exports of food commodities are linked to higher food loss. Recommendations include improving infrastructure for food imports, enhancing supply chain efficiency, investing in better storage, and applying circular economy principles like community-supported agriculture (CSA) to reduce waste.

Simona Gavrilaş, Oana Brînzan, Radu Lucian Blaga, Maria Sinaci, Eugenia Țigan, Nicoleta Mateoc-Sîrb · Agriculture · Europe

This study investigated the correlations between perceived benefits of urban agriculture (socialization, recreation, and food waste avoidance) and education levels and financial situations among 648 inhabitants of western Romanian towns, using data collected via an online questionnaire. Analysis showed that a high level of education leads to increased belief in urban farming's contributions to improving residents' socialization and recreation. Income level also significantly shaped opinions regarding urban agriculture's contribution to increased recycling.

環境省 · 環境省 環境再生・資源循環局 廃棄物適正処理推進課 · Japan

A press release from Japan's Ministry of the Environment summarizing FY2023 nationwide municipal solid waste generation and disposal. Total waste generation was 38.97 million tonnes (down 3.4% year on year), the recycling rate was 19.5%, and final disposal volume was 3.16 million tonnes. Of 1,004 incineration facilities, 411 had power generation equipment, generating 10,254 GWh in total.