Waste and Recovery

Food waste reduction happens throughout the food system through better planning, improved storage, efficient transportation, food donations, and innovative processing practices. Consumers are part of this effort too, with household purchasing, preparation, and consumption all influencing how much food becomes waste.

When food is no longer suitable for people to eat, it may be redirected for animal feed, composting, energy production, or other recovery uses, depending on the product and regulations. These recovery options help reduce landfill waste while making use of valuable resources whenever possible.

Reducing food waste helps conserve the land, water, energy, and labour used to produce food. It also supports a more sustainable and efficient food system by making better use of resources and reducing unnecessary environmental impacts.

Resource recovery is the process of finding new uses for materials that would otherwise become waste. In Canada’s Food System, this can include composting organic materials, recovering nutrients or converting food by-products into animal feed, renewable energy, or other useful products.

Consumers are an important part of food waste prevention and recovery. Decisions about purchasing, preparation, consumption, and disposal can influence how much food becomes waste. Organizations such as Second Harvest and Love Food Hate Waste Canada offer practical resources to help Canadians reduce food waste at home and make the most of the food they buy.