Alternative scenarios of food-waste treatment: a comparative Life Cycle Assessment

Food-waste is a significant environmental problem in Western countries; FAO (2011) estimates that the amount produced worldwide is about 1.3 billion tonnes per year, equivalent to about one third of the total production of food intended for human consumption. The growing awareness of the need for sustainable strategies for food-waste management is driving an increase in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) research activities in this sector. This paper presents the results of a comparative LCA of five different alternative scenarios of food-waste treatment (landfill; incinerator; composting; production of biogas; and valorisation of valuable fractions for feed production) produced by a mass retail company operating in Messina (Italy).