Mexico Among Top Food-Waste Nations: UNAM

Mexico is among the countries with the highest levels of food waste, a trend that carries significant environmental and economic consequences. Luis Fernando González Martínez, researcher, UNAM’s Coordinación Universitaria para la Sustentabilidad (COUS), warned that if global food waste were treated as a country, it would rank third worldwide in greenhouse gas emissions and occupy a landmass comparable to a major nation.

Data from the World Bank’s Food Losses and Waste in Mexico (2013) show the scale of the problem domestically. Each year, Mexico wastes 28.7% of tortillas, 43.1% of white bread, 35.4% of beef, 37.2% of rice, 38.7% of fish, 48.7% of shrimp, 43.1% of milk and 40.2% of pork.

González Martínez, who also teaches at UNAM’s Faculty of Economics, stressed the conceptual difference between food loss and food waste. Food loss occurs along the supply chain from harvest to retail, while food waste takes place at the distribution and household level when products are already available for consumption. “In both cases, we are throwing away natural resources, energy and money,” he said.

Globally, roughly 30% of food produced each year is discarded. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 14% of food — worth about US$400 billion — is lost between harvest and distribution, while an additional 17% is wasted at the retail and consumer stages.

When organic waste decomposes in landfills, it generates methane, a greenhouse gas with a much greater warming potential than carbon dioxide. This contributes directly to climate change and intensifies extreme weather patterns, including droughts and floods.

In Mexico, food waste produces an estimated 36 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent annually, comparable to the emissions of around 16 million vehicles. Authorities estimate that the equivalent of four truckloads of food are discarded every minute.

Although Mexico has developed a significant food bank network, waste volumes remain high. In response, Mexico City implemented new waste separation rules beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Residents must now classify household waste into three categories: organic, recyclable and nonrecyclable.

Mayor Clara Brugada said the reform is designed to reduce landfill dependency and increase material recovery. “What was once useful can be reused, transformed and given a second life,” she said. The city distributed color-coded bins — green for organic waste, gray for recyclables and orange for nonrecyclables. Organic materials will be processed through composting and hydrothermal carbonization, recyclables will be sent to processing facilities, and nonrecyclable waste will be converted into refuse-derived fuel. No fines will be issued during 2026 as authorities prioritize public adaptation.

Mexico City’s 12 transfer stations process approximately 8,500 metric tons of waste daily, with about 7,000 metric tons ultimately reaching landfills. Organic matter represents 56% of landfill-bound waste, while recyclable and nonrecoverable inorganic materials each account for roughly 21%. The Integrated Waste Management Agency (AGIR) aims to raise recovery rates from 15% to as much as 75% through improved separation practices.

To support implementation, sanitation personnel have received new training, and environmental educators from SEDEMA and local community centers are conducting outreach campaigns. The city is also investing MX$250 million (US$14.52 million) in 50 additional collection trucks.

Further infrastructure upgrades include a MX$150 million (US$8.71 million) modernization of the Bordo Poniente recycling facility and the construction of specialized plants for processing tires, asphalt and construction debris. Composting capacity is set to increase by 50%, reaching 400,000 metric tons annually.