As featured on BusinessMirror: Food Waste at the Forefront: Int’l Day of Zero Waste 2026
It's lunch break at a busy fast-food restaurant. You are seated in the corner, glancing at the surroundings. On the table beside you, there’s a half-eaten food that has barely been touched. At the corner, there is a mound of rice, disposable utensils, and plastic wrappers that spill over from an overflowing trash bin.
Minutes after, customers began to rush out as their 1-hour break came to an end. What follows is a scene that you get to see every single day in cities across the world: Trash bins full of leftover food. In the rush of daily life, what seems like food scraps from one person becomes piles of wasted food from millions of customers around the globe.
Food waste represents a major climate and environmental threat. Globally, an estimated 1.05 billion tonnes, or nearly one-fifth, of the food available to consumers is wasted every year.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this accounts for up to 10% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are nearly five times larger than emissions from the aviation sector. Much of this waste ends up in the landfills, where it produces methane—a potent GHG that contributes to climate change, based on a report by the US Department of Agriculture. In light of this growing concern, UNEP and the UN-Habitat call for promoting sustainable consumption and production systems to prevent waste before it reaches landfills.
The International Day of Zero Waste, inaugurated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2023, returns on 30 March 2026, with a renewed call to action. This year’s theme, “Food Waste,” draws attention to one of the most pressing yet preventable global challenges, underscoring its impact on climate change, food security, and sustainable development. Accordingly, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines food waste as food products that were disposed of by restaurants, supermarkets, or households.
Anchored in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—specifically SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, and SDG 13: Climate Action—this day serves as a platform to inspire governments, businesses, and communities to adopt zero-waste practices and accelerate progress toward a healthier, more resilient planet.
Building on this global initiative, the conversation also extends to how countries like the Philippines are contributing through national strategies, grassroots initiatives, and community-driven efforts that reflect the country’s growing role in shaping a zero-waste future.
The growing population in the Philippines resonates with the rise in generated food waste. Over the past five years, the country has seen a steady increase in food being wasted amidst families struggling to meet their daily nutritional needs. While households are a major contributor, a significant portion of food waste also comes from the food service sector. Accordingly, 40% of food waste occurs in customer-facing businesses (e.g., restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels), while nearly half (48.9%) comes from household waste.
A closer look at the composition of Philippine waste reveals that biodegradable materials, including food waste, make up the largest portion of the country’s garbage. Notably, from a 2023 National Nutritional Survey done by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, rural areas tend to discard more food, not only from households but also from post-harvest losses, improper handling during storage and transport, and excess agricultural supply, compared to those in urban regions.
Beyond environmental issues, food waste also bears socioeconomic impacts. Economically, it signifies lost resources spent on producing food that ends up discarded. Socially, a striking paradox reveals that even as the country generates massive food waste, there is also an inequality in food accessibility. Practices like ‘pagpag’ or scavenging of leftover food from rubbish bins should not be treated as an isolated coping mechanism but instead emphasize deeper systemic issues in accessibility, affordability, and social inequality in the country.
The Philippine government has taken steps to address the issue through policies and programs aimed at reducing food waste and improving the general waste management systems in the country. Central to these efforts is the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which includes mandates related to waste segregation, composting programs, and recycling initiatives.
The government also enacted the Extended Producer Responsibility Act (EPRA) of 2022, also known as the Republic Act No. 11898, to address the growing issue on the use of plastic packaging waste. More recently, House Bill No. 8043 or the Food Waste Reduction Act was passed by the Congress to address poverty and reduce the environmental impact of food waste across the country.
Alongside public-sector initiatives, corporate organizations and private sectors also play a vital role in strengthening accountability and governance, especially today, when there is a growing expectation to measure, manage, and disclose environmental-related impacts. Auditors and accountants ensure that waste-related information is accurate, consistent, and supported by a robust data structure, mirroring how financial impact is reported.
Firms like R.G. Manabat & Co. (KPMG in the Philippines) support various organizations and services by helping quantify waste, aligning with global standards, complying with regulations like EPRA, and embedding disclosure through sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting practices. These efforts underscore that responsible waste management has always been an integral part of corporate governance and has been continuously evolving as sustainability becomes central to business resilience.
Despite these existing laws and awareness, waste management remains a significant challenge – the Philippines still struggles with food insecurity, parallel to the increasing amount of food waste. Hence, environmental advocates highlight that while policies exist, collective efforts of agencies, businesses, individual households, and communities are needed to curb this issue.
Simple actions such as buying what you only need, planning meals, storing food, promoting food preservation to increase the shelf life of in-season fruits and vegetables, and composting kitchen waste can significantly reduce the volume of food waste that ends up in landfills and dumpsites.
As the world unites under the global observance of International Day of Zero Waste, it should be stressed that this celebration is not just a one-day commitment, but a reminder and an urgent call to reduce waste production in everyday practice.
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This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice to a specific issue or entity. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent KPMG International or R.G. Manabat & Co.