New tool to help cities quantify greenhouse gas emissions from food waste

As India grapples with increasing food waste and the resulting increase in greenhouse gas emissions, WRI India (World Resources Institute India) has developed a tool that allows cities, businesses and settlements to estimate emissions generated in the food waste management chain and identify opportunities to reduce them.

The India Food Waste Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimator estimates emissions from the collection, transportation, processing and disposal of food waste. It also calculates emissions that could be avoided through interventions such as reducing food waste at source and redistributing excess food for human or animal consumption.

The technical note accompanying the tool points out that India produces around 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2022-23; This figure is expected to increase to 165 million tons in 2030 and 436 million tons in 2050. Food waste alone is estimated to emit 106.62 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) in 2023; sector.

While India’s solid waste management rules promote segregation and decentralized processing of wet waste, food waste continues to be treated as part of the broader category of biodegradable waste without a specific framework for estimating climate impact or monitoring emissions, the report said.

The Excel-based tool is designed for urban local bodies, bulk waste generators, resident welfare associations, retailers and food service providers. Based on available data, users can enter information about food waste produced, vehicles used for transportation, distances traveled, and treatment or disposal methods to estimate greenhouse gas emissions.

The tool uses India-specific emission factors for different vehicle and fuel types to estimate transportation-related emissions. Emissions from treatment and disposal are calculated using internationally accepted emission factors for practices such as composting, biogas production, vermicomposting, landfilling, open storage and sewage disposal; as India-specific values ​​are not yet available for all treatment methods.

The report identifies landfill as the most emissions-intensive disposal option, estimating emissions of 6,528 tonnes of CO₂e per tonne of dry matter per year. In contrast, source reduction and redistribution of excess edible food are identified as the lowest-emission approaches, reinforcing the need to prioritize food waste prevention over disposal.

Developed using insights from WRI India’s work with the Pune and Indore Municipal Corporations, the tool aims to help local governments integrate food waste into climate action planning, strengthen waste management strategies and support emissions reporting.

The organization stated that the tool will be updated periodically as more India-specific data and emission factors become available.