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Circular food systems entail that the food is produced regeneratively and, where appropriate, locally. Food and packaging waste are designed out entirely, while healthy, low-impact diets are promoted and easy to access. 

[Circle Economy](https://www.circle-economy.com/) is a not-for-profit organisation working to accelerate the circular transition. Through the *Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative*, our mission is to deliver an annual global Circularity Metric that measures the state of the world economy and identifies key levers to transition to global circularity. With nature as our guide, we work alongside cross-sector stakeholders from academia, businesses, NGOs and governments to provide a powerful combination of practical and scalable interventions that transform circular opportunities into realities. 

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Circular Food

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Limes and lemons - Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Business case

Producing agricultural products and processing them into food and beverageproducts for consumption

Agri/Food

Processing and producing food and beverages for consumption

Food and Beverage

Account for the systems perspective during the design process, to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended future use

Design for the future

Work together throughout the supply chain, internally within organisations and with the public sector and communities to increase transparency and create joint value

Team up to create joint value

Food losses and waste

Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

In a circular economy:

* Food is produced regeneratively and, where possible, locally; 
* Biomass is optimally used—from agricultural by-products to manure, rainwater or used water; 
* Food losses and waste and packaging waste are designed out entirely; 
* Healthy, planetary diets are promoted and easier to access; and 
* Environmental and economic benefits are balanced with benefits to people and animals.

This definition builds on those of the [Ellen MacArthur Foundation](https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/cities-and-circular-economy-for-food), [Wageningen University](https://www.wur.nl/en/Dossiers/file/Circular-agrofood-system.htm), the [Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy](https://pacecircular.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/circular-economy-action-agenda-food_0.pdf ) (PACE), as well as Circle Economy’s own work in analysing the climate mitigation potential of [circular food interventions](http://circularity-gap.world/2021).

Explore the different themes under this definition below.

Circular food themes

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Explore different themes under the concept of 'circular food'

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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        Better understanding and use of date marking on food, i.e. "use by" and "best before" dates, by all actors concerned, can prevent and reduce food waste in the EU.A study carried out by the European Commission (2018), estimates that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste generated annually in the EU are linked to date marking.   In order to help inform its work on date marking, the Commission launched a study to map how date marking is used in the market by food business operators and control authorities.The market study found wide variation in date marking practices within product categories surveyed in the EU. The legibility of date marks was judged to be poor for 11% of products sampled. The study highlights the role that strengthened cooperation and innovation in the food supply chain can play in preventing food waste and finds that additional guidance may be needed to facilitate food redistribution past the "best before" date.Based on the study's findings, the authors conclude that avoidable food waste linked to date marking is likely to be reduced where:a date mark is present, its meaning is clear and it is legible;consumers have a good understanding of the meaning of date marking (and the difference between "use by" as an indicator of safety and "best before" as an indicator of quality); "use by" dates are used only where there is a safety-based rationale for doing so, consistent with the Regulation on Food Information to Consumersthe product life stated on the packaging is consistent with the findings of safety and quality tests, and is not shortened unnecessarily by other considerations, such as product marketing;storage and open life guidance are consistent with the findings of safety and quality tests;there is a level of consistency in storage of food at retail and guidance for consumers regarding the temperatures at which products should be stored in the home.Market study on date marking and other information provided on food labels and food waste prevention.   Misinterpretation by consumers of the meaning of the "use by" and "best before" dates can contribute to household food waste. As called for by the new Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission will propose, by the end of 2022, the revision of EU rules on date marking. In doing so, the Commission aims to prevent food waste linked to misunderstanding and/or misuse of these dates, whilst ensuring that any proposed change meets consumers’ information needs and does not jeopardise food safety.The Commission is currently carrying out an impact assessment (with public and targeted consultations) to support its proposal, as well as consumer research to identify new ways of expressing date marking that meet consumers’ information needs whilst minimising food waste. The Commission published its inception impact assessment on 23 December 2020, which considers different policy options and describes the work that will be carried out in this regard. The document is publicly available here.   Consumer research to support the proposal to revise EU rules on date markingThe consumer research findings will shed light on how consumers themselves understand and use these dates and will identify and test new ways of expressing date marking (e.g. changes in terminology, format, visual presentation) in order to identify options that meet consumers’ information needs, whilst avoiding unnecessary food waste linked to the misunderstanding and misuse of date marking.The consumer research is on-going and so far the contractor in charge of this work has carried out:an inventory and review of evidence on consumer behaviour regarding date marking and food waste;stakeholder interviews (including with national authorities);consumer focus groups across 10 Member States during which a set of policy options has been tested.Following the focus groups, policy options (in all EU official languages) have been further refined in view of testing these through quantitative consumer research to be carried out through online surveys in 27 Member States and, at a final stage, through a laboratory experiment in selected Member States to assess how these policy options influence consumers’ decision-making process.On 30 November 2021, the Commission held an online targeted consultation, with members of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste and food labelling experts from the Member States, related to the revision of EU date marking rules and this consumer research. The aim  was to exchange with participants on the date marking policy options developed so far to help inform the next phases of this work. Comments received will allow further refining of these options before proceeding with fieldwork to test the effectiveness of the selected policy options in avoiding food waste linked to date marking.Background material of this meeting:Presentation by the CommissionPresentation by the contractor in chargePrevious studies:Flash Eurobarometer 425 on food waste and date markingIn 2015, the Commission carried out pan-European quantitative consumer research in order to find out more about people's attitudes to food waste prevention. The study also looked into citizen's awareness, understanding and use of date marking on food products.Flash Eurobarometer 425 on food waste and date markingBehavioural study on consumer choices linked to date markingDuring EXPO 2015, a behavioural study on consumers' food choices and eating habits was conducted to explore how consumers respond to the absence of "best before" dates on shelf stable, non-perishable foods such as: pasta, coffee, UHT orange juice and canned tomato sauce. The study highlights the importance of the "best before" date in reassuring consumers about product quality and safety throughout their shelf life. The presence of the "best before" date also reduces the likelihood of consumers throwing away foods before the end of the period indicated on the food labels.More information and the Report at the Commission's site on Behavioural research   How date marking is utilised by food business operators and regulatory authorities in managing the supply chain can also have an impact on food waste. For example, the approaches followed by food business operators in defining date marking (e.g. whether to utilise a "use by" or "best before" date), market practices (such as the amount of shelf life required by retailers on product delivery) and national rules on the further distribution and use of foods past the "best before" date, can all influence the generation of food waste in the supply chain.In this context, the Commission requested a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in order to support food business operators in the application of relevant EU rules. Helping food business operators in their decision making on the choice between "use by" or "best before" dates and on setting the appropriate shelf-life, storage conditions and open life instructions will improve the understanding and use of date marking and contribute to the better management of foods by all actors, which will have an impact on food waste reduction.   Mandate to EFSA for a scientific opinion on date marking and related food informationWith the first scientific opinion (adopted in October 2020), EFSA experts have developed a risk-based approach to be followed by food business operators when deciding on the type of date marking (i.e. "use by" versus "best before" date), when setting the product shelf-life and when identifying the related information to provide on labelling in order to ensure food safety.EFSA also developed a decision tree, consisting of a series of questions, to assist food business operators in choosing the type of date marking for their products.The second opinion (adopted in March 2021), focusses on other food information aspects, such as storage conditions, time limits for consumption after opening, defrosting advice for consumers and thawing practices.  
     

          The Consumer Goods Forum and Champions 12.3 issue landmark call to use two simple date labels by 2020 NEW YORK, 20th September 2017 — “Sell by,” “Use by,” “Display until,” “Best before,” what do they all mean? Consumers around the world navigate a range of date labels on food products, and the resulting confusion costs families up to $29 billion annually in the United States alone. The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) – a network of 400 of the biggest consumer goods companies across 70 countries – along with Champions 12.3 has approved a Call to Action to standardise food date labels worldwide by 2020.
The CGF Board of Directors unanimously adopted the Call to Action to simplify date labels, including companies like Tesco, Kellogg, Walmart, Campbell Soup, Bimbo, Pick n Pay, Nestlé, Carrefour and Unilever. The Call to Action says retailers and food producers should take three important steps to simplify date labels and reduce food waste by 2020: 
Only one label at a time
Choice of two labels: one expiration date for perishable items (e.g. “Use by”) and one food quality indicator for non-perishable items (e.g., “Best if used by”). The exact wording will be tailored to regional context
Consumer education to better understand what date labels mean
 The announcement expands national efforts to streamline date labels in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan to the rest of the world. 
In addition to the labels on products, the Call to Action recommends companies partner with nonprofit organisations and government agencies to educate consumers about how to interpret date labels. Education efforts could include in-store displays, web materials and public service announcements. Many consumers don’t know, for example, that many products are still safe to eat past the “Best if used by” date.
“Four years ago, Tesco was one of the first retailers to roll out single date coding across our fresh food and meat produce. All the evidence from WRAP and our own Tesco research has shown that streamlining date codes helps customers waste less food and it also reduces waste in our own operations. That’s why it’s so important we extend this practice to more companies in every country. Streamlining date labels worldwide by 2020 could be game-changing in the fight against global food waste”, said Dave Lewis, Group Chief Executive of Tesco and Chair of Champions 12.3.
“Kellogg Company is working to reduce food loss and waste along the production and supply chains, and we want to encourage consumers to be part of the solution too. As a global food company, we work to reduce hunger, improve nutrition and protect the planet”, said Maria Fernanda Mejia, Sr. Vice President of the Kellogg Company and President of Kellogg Latin America. “Simplifying food date labels is an important step forward in preventing food waste, and will help end the confusion related to ‘sell by’ dates. Kellogg is an enthusiastic supporter of improved and harmonised food labelling standards to help educate and empower consumers to prevent food waste, save their families money, and conserve resources to protect our planet”. 
“Walmart has worked with its suppliers to support the use of standardised date labels that provide consistent and transparent information to better reflect product’s shelf life”, said Katherine Neebe, Director for Sustainability at Walmart. “I commend CGF for leveraging their influence to support customer-friendly labelling practices”.
An estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food worldwide is lost or wasted each year. The average UK household with children spends £700 a year on food that’s thrown away – in the United States, that figure is $1,500. Standardising food date labels is a simple and effective way to reduce the amount of edible food thrown out by households, saving them money and reducing their environmental footprint. Food loss and waste is a major contributor to climate change, emitting 8 percent of annual greenhouse gases.
“Now more than ever is the time for business to play a leading role in tackling food waste. This is an issue that can only truly be tackled by collaboration across the value chain. Through our global membership, the CGF is committed to playing a leadership role. We believe simplified and consistent date labelling will help us get one step closer to meeting our resolution to halve food waste by 2025 while also helping reduce confusion for consumers”, said Peter Freedman, Managing Director of The Consumer Goods Forum.
Today’s announcement was made at a Champions 12.3 event at The Rockefeller Foundation during Climate Week and the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. This week marks two years since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals. At the event, Champions 12.3 also launched SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2017 Progress Report, which takes stock of global progress to date toward halving food waste and reducing food loss by 2030.
“The Sustainable Development Goals have given us a historic opportunity and we must rise to the challenge”, said Hans Hoogeveen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the UN Organizations for Food and Agriculture. “Of all the SDGs, Target 12.3 is the only one to my knowledge that is being advocated by a coalition like Champions 12.3 with leaders from every sector mobilising action to achieve success. We stand a great chance, but a lot of work remains”. 
The report finds that countries and companies are setting reduction targets aligned with SDG Target 12.3 – today, 28 percent of the world’s population live in a country or region with a target to reduce food loss and waste, and nearly 60 percent of the world’s 50 largest food companies have set reduction targets.
Innovative initiatives are also taking off, especially in the private sector. A growing number of the 50 largest food companies now have active food loss and waste reduction programmes. However, the report finds an insufficient number of governments and companies are measuring and reporting food loss and waste, a key step to identifying hotspots and knowing whether strategies are having impact.
“It is good to see clear signs of momentum building behind the movement to tackle food loss and waste and the leadership being demonstrated by individual Champions and others”, said Liz Goodwin, Senior Fellow and Director, Food Loss and Waste at World Resources Institute. “However, 2030 is only 13 years away, and more is needed. We now have a roadmap for how to cut in half the more than 1 billion tonnes of food that goes uneaten each year, and it’s vital that governments and the private sector everywhere put it to use”. 
“The report we co-authored with WRI shows we are moving in the right direction, but we need to build momentum quickly. We need action from everyone from governments, businesses, NGOs and us all in our homes: uniting in the food waste fight”, said Marcus Gover, Chief Executive of WRAP. “It is also essential that developing nations get the financial support they need to tackle food loss and waste. We have gathering impetus, and now we have something which could help navigate us all to our destination. There is no time to lose”.
Read SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2017 Progress Report here: https://champions123.org/2017-progress-report/ — Ends — About Champions 12.3
Champions 12.3 is a coalition of more than three dozen leaders across government, business and civil society dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilising action, and accelerating progress toward achieving Target 12.3 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Target 12.3 calls on the world to “halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses” by 2030.
The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the World Resources Institute serve as co-secretariats of Champions 12.3. For more information, visit www.Champions123.org CHAMPIONS INCLUDE: 

Dave Lewis, Group Chief Executive, Tesco (Chair)
Erik Solheim, Executive Director, United Nations Environment (Co-Chair)
Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety
Peter Bakker, President, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
John Bryant, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Kellogg Company
Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nestlé
Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of  Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam

Michael La Cour, Managing Director, IKEA Food Services AB

Wiebe Draijer, Chairman of the Executive Board, Rabobank
Shenggen Fan, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute
Peter Freedman, Managing Director, The Consumer Goods Forum
Louise Fresco, President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research
Liz Goodwin, Senior Fellow and Director, Food Loss and Waste, World Resources Institute
Marcus Gover, Chief Executive Officer, Waste and Resources Action Programme
Hans Hoogeveen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the UN Organizations for Food and Agriculture
Gilbert Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development 
Selina Juul, Chairman of the Board and Founder, Stop Wasting Food Movement in Denmark
Yolanda Kakabadse, President, WWF International
Sam Kass, Former White House Chef, Founder of TROVE and Venture Partner, Acre Venture Partners
Michel Landel, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Sodexo
Esben Lunde Larsen, Minister of Environment and Food, Denmark
José Antonio Meade, Minister of Finance, Mexico
Gina McCarthy, Former Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Denise Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Soup Company
Kanayo Nwanze, Former President, International Fund for Agricultural Development
Rafael Pacchiano, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Mexico
Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever
Juan Lucas Restrepo Ibiza, Chairman, Global Forum on Agricultural Research
Judith Rodin, Former President, The Rockefeller Foundation
Oyun Sanjaasuren, Chair, Global Water Partnership
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Vice President for Country Support, Policy and Delivery, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
Feike Sijbesma, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Managing Board, Royal DSM
Rajiv Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation
Andrew Steer, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Resources Institute
Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme
Tristram Stuart, Founder, Feedback
Rhea Suh, President, Natural Resources Defense Council
Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Former Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, The African Union
Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder, Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Olam International
Tom Vilsack, Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Senzeni Zokwana, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of South Africa
 For further information, please contact:
Lee Green, The Consumer Goods Forum, l.green@theconsumergoodsforum.com 
Lauren Zelin, World Resources Institute, +1 202-729-7736, lzelin@wri.org 
Jillian Holzer, World Resources Institute, +1 202-729-7754, jholzer@wri.org       

As a leading multinational retailer, with more than 345,000 colleagues, we aim to serve customers every day with affordable, healthy and sustainable food – to help them enjoy a better quality of life and an easier way of living.

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Kellogg

Walmart Inc. is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Walmart 

Unilever 

Consumer Goods Forum

Campbell Soup

Bimbo

Pick n Pay

Nestlé

Carrefour is a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation headquartered in Massy, France. The eighth-largest retailer in the world by revenue, it operates a chain of hypermarkets, groceries stores and convenience stores, which as of December 2021, comprises its 13,894 stores in over 30 countries.

Carrefour

Major food producers and retailers such as Tesco, Kellogg, Walmart, Campbell Soup, Bimbo, Pick n Pay, Nestlé, Carrefour and Unilever committed to the Consumer Goods Forum and Champions 12.3's call to simplify date labels and reduce food waste by 2020. The call asks for 1) only one label to be placed on food products at a time 2) use expiration dates for perishable items (for example, a 'Use by' label) or use a food quality indicator for non-perishable items (for example, a 'Best if used by' label) and 3) greater consumer education to better understand what date labels mean. [1] A study carried out by the European Commission in 2018 estimates that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste generated annually in the EU are linked to date marking. [2]

Food producers and retailers commit to simplify food date labels worlwide

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This collection features a selection of inspiring examples of the circular economy, compiled in the context of the Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains programme (SWITCH).

Launched in 2020, SWITCH is a five-year initiative that assists EU multinational companies and their suppliers from developing countries to switch to more circular economy approaches and practices in three selected value chains: [Plastic Packaging](https://knowledge-hub.circle-lab.com/switchtocircular/search?collections=832%3D0&framework_elements__5=111), [Textile & Garments](https://knowledge-hub.circle-lab.com/switchtocircular/search?collections=832%3D0&framework_elements__5=99), and ICT and Electronics.

The overall objective of SWITCH is to support the “transformation towards a circular economy”, and to contribute to sustainable growth, low carbon and climate resilient development, decent jobs creation, and a safer, healthier and pollution-free environment.

SWITCH is co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Finland, and implemented by UNIDO, in collaboration with Chatham House, Circle Economy, and the European Investment Bank.
Learn more at www.switchtocircular.eu

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Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains

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This collection is being created to regroup all case studies related to the packaging industry (CAT purpose)

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Packaging collection

Reduced use of virgin materials and/or an increase of the use of secondary and bio-based materials

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

Providing goods on the Internet, through mail order, or television, or providing goods in stores, including apparel, electronics, furniture, food and drug, etc.

Retail

Producing basic and specialty chemicals, inks, agricultural chemical such as fertilisers and pesticides, plastics including packaging, and rubber

Chemical and Plastic

Enacting measures that optimise material use such as 3D printing, etc.

Material efficiency

Engaging in discussions with industry stakeholders to share circular economy best practices and push the industry towards greater circularity

Guidance, dialogue with industry stakeholders

Impacts

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  Company making progress towards goals announced in Charter on Plastics  Mississauga, ON, October 24, 2019 – Since launching the Walmart Canada Charter on Plastics earlier this year, Walmart Canada has implemented a number of packaging changes which will help prevent more than 1.1 million pounds of plastic from entering the supply chain – the weight of 100 elephants. The retailer is working closely with suppliers to identify areas to curb plastic use and ensure the plastic that does remain is recyclable. While there is more work to do for Walmart Canada to achieve the bold goals set out in the Charter, recent improvements include: Eliminating plastic wrap from organic bananas bunches which will remove about 14,000 lbs. of plastic Eliminating plastic wrap from single peppers which will remove about 193,000 lbs. of plasticIncreasing post-consumer recycled content in the packaging holding baked goods, avoiding the use of 925,000 lbs. of new plastics annuallyRemoving 420,000 lbs. of expanded poly styrene (a hard to recycle plastic) from entering the supply chain annually by introducing new packaging for sausage traysWalmart Canada’s Charter on Plastics is the retailer’s commitment to address plastic waste in Canada using a three-pronged strategy: using less plastic, recycling more plastic, and supporting improvements to the plastic waste reduction system. Read more here. Today's update builds on Walmart's mission to champion plastic waste reduction initiatives in Canada, including: Decreasing plastic bag use by 50 per cent since 2016 and a further 50 per cent by 2025 taking approximately 1 billion checkout bags out of circulation over that periodCommitting to 100 per cent recyclable packaging in all private brand products by 2025. Eliminating single-use plastic straws and replacing them with paper alternatives by 2020, taking approximately 35 million single-use plastic straws out of circulation annuallyIn addition, Walmart Canada and the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) are announcing the winners of the 2019 Recycling Council of Ontario’s Plastic Bag Grab Challenge. Through this challenge, a total of 290,617 students from 822 schools across the country collected 1.7 million single-use plastic shopping bags – 13.68 metric tonnes of plastic – and brought them to their local Walmart stores for recycling, diverting another 30,000 lbs. of plastic from landfills. “We are absolutely committed to reducing our plastics footprint. We know there is a lot more to do to achieve our goals, but we’re confident we are on the right path ,” said Susan Muigai, EVP, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada. “We’re proud that Walmart Canada’s Charter on Plastics is leading to a decrease in plastic use and we hope this shows other Canadian companies that reducing plastics is a viable option that makes business sense and that customers value.” About Walmart Canada Walmart Canada operates a growing chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving more than 1.2 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited by more than 750,000 customers daily. With more than 85,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $400 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca, facebook.com/walmartcanada and at twitter.com/walmartcanada. 

Canada

Walmart Canada has set ambitious sustainability targets in its Charter on plastics in 2019. To achieve these targets, the company has eliminated plastic wraps from some of its fruits and vegetables.

Walmart - Elimination of plastic wrapping from fruits and vegetables 

Walmart Turns Food Waste into Compost

Providing electricity and gas services, including traditional and renewable energy generation, natural and manufactured gas and operating gas networks

Energy Utilities and Independent Power Producers

Collecting waste from households and businesses by means of refuse bins, wheeled bins, containers, etc., and providing treatment, incineration, materials recovery and reclamation, and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste

Waste Management

Producing and gathering crop and animal products from land and water through farming, hunting, and fishing

Agriculture

Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling

Use waste as a resource

Reuse, repurpose, and recycle waste streams within the same industry

Valorise waste streams - closed loop

Collection programmes that process products and parts for reuse or recycling within the same industry

Closed loop collection

Transforming waste products into materials and lower value products within the same industry

Closed loop downcycling

Generating energy from waste through processes such as anaerobic digestion, gasification, incineration, etc.

Generating energy from waste

**Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns**

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The world is seriously off track in its effort to halve per-capita food waste and losses by 2030.The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on consumption and production patterns, with disruptions to global supply chains and changes in consumer behaviour. 

Responsible consumption and production must be an integral part of the recovery from the pandemic. 
But the global economy also needs to speed up the decoupling of economic growth from resource use by maximizing the socio-economic benefits of resources while minimizing their negative impacts. 

Reporting on corporate sustainability has tripled since the beginning of the SDG period, but the private sector will need to significantly improve reporting on activities that contribute to the SDGs. 

This primarily entails environmentally sound management of "toxic chemicals" A substantial use of chemicals is essential to meet the social and economic goals of the world community, and these can be used with a high degree of safety when best practices are followed.  Gross chemical contamination, with grave damage to human health, genetic structures reproductive outcomes, and the environment, has been continuing within some of the world's most important industrial areas, and restoration will require major investment as well as the development of new techniques.
Effective control of the generation, storage, treatment, recycling and reuse, transport, recovery and disposal of hazardous wastes is another similar challenge. 
In addition,  solid wastes include all domestic refuse and non-hazardous wastes such as commercial and institutional wastes, street sweepings construction debris, and, in some countries, human wastes. As hazardous waste is frequently intermixed with other waste, this poses particular management challenges.
Finally, this target ensures that radioactive waste is safely managed, transported, stored and disposed of, with a view to protecting human health and the environment. 

To deliver SDG12, it is crucial to implement policies that support the shift to sustainable practices and decouple economic growth from resource use.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal12](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal12)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/chemicals-and-waste](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/chemicals-and-waste)

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12. Responsible consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Cycle strategies aim to cycle and reuse materials at their highest value: they maximise the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material inputs and therefore also narrowing flows. Of course, virgin materials will always be needed to a degree: all materials degrade and can’t be cycled infinitely, use energy, and require blending with virgin materials to maintain strength and functionality.

Cycle

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**These 17 Goals recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.**

The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, and especially on the Millennium Declaration adopted in September 2000 at UN Headquarters in New York which let to the elaboration of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.

In 2015, the Paris Agreement was signed. A major blueprint came out of this: The Sustainable Development Goals: 17 overarching goals—and 169 targets—that governments are aiming to meet by 2030. Significant progress has been made in terms of poverty, health and inequality, but there's still a way to go. This is where the circular economy comes in: by circulating resources multiple times, the circular economy tackles issues of scarcity and allows all to access what they need—without overburdening the earth. If it's implemented in a holistic way—affording attention to social considerations and the fair distribution of resources— it also offers a pathway for achieving the SDGs; and the link between the two is ever-growing. To read more about the link between the SDGs and the circular economy, click [here](https://www.circle-economy.com/blogs/how-the-circular-economy-can-help-us-reach-the-sustainable-development-goals).

It is the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) which provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and their related thematic issues. TheDSDG plays a key role in the evaluation of UN systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and in advocacy and outreach activities relating to the SDGs. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals. DSDG aims to help facilitate this engagement.
Alongside this, the annual High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development serves as the central UN platform for the follow-up and review of the SDGs.
In addition, the UN Secretary-General presents an annual SDG Progress report, which is developed in cooperation with the UN System, and based on the global indicator framework and data produced by national statistical systems and information collected at the regional level.

To read more information: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals](https://sdgs.un.org/goals)

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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 La Ville de Paris a engagé la reconversion de l’ancien hôpital Saint-Vincent-de-Paul dans le 14e arrondissement, libéré de ses activités hospitalières depuis 2012. L'objectif est de produire un écoquartier "zéro carbone, zéro déchet, zéro rejet" respectueux de l'histoire du lieu.
    L’écoquartier Saint-Vincent-de-Paul primé pour son innovante collecte innovante des urines    Le quartier Saint-Vincent-de-Paul a reçu le Prix " Coup de Cœur " Innovation Publique pour son dispositif de collecte séparative des urines lors du Paris de l'Innovation.Une fois collectées, les urines seront transformées en un engrais 100 % naturel (azote), utilisé par le centre de production agricole de Rungis, qui produit les végétaux plantés dans les espaces verts de la Ville de Paris. Ce dispositif innovant permet de produire 47 m³ d’engrais par an, offrant une alternative écologique et durable aux engrais chimiques.Retrouvez plus d’informations sur la collecte séparative des urines : Economie circulaire | Paris & Métropole Aménagement 
   Le secteur Saint-Vincent-de-Paul           La première occupation de ce site de 3,4 hectares remonte à la création d’un noviciat pour les prêtres catholiques en 1650 : l’Institution de l’Oratoire. Après la Révolution française, en 1795, le lieu est transformé en maternité et en maison d’allaitement. A partir de 1814, il devient « Hospice des Enfants Assistés », s’occupant des nourrissons orphelins ou confiés anonymement. Le site se transforme progressivement à partir des années 1930 en établissement hospitalier spécialisé dans les maladies infantiles, les urgences pédiatriques et accueille une maternité. Actuellement, l'ancien site hospitalier est entouré par des institutions à vocation religieuse, caritative ou culturelle : le couvent de la Visitation, l’Œuvre des Jeunes Filles Aveugles, l’Hospice Marie-Thérèse et la Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

  Les objectifs du projet           Il s’agit sur ce secteur de :

    créer un quartier à dominante logement, ouvert sur la ville et favorisant la mixité sociale,   mener une démarche environnementale ambitieuse et exemplaire et faire de Saint-Vincent-de-Paul un écoquartier novateur, symbole des nouvelles manières d'habiter à Paris,   penser les espaces publics et les espaces libres comme des espaces fortement plantés ou végétalisés en lien avec les grands espaces verts mitoyens, que ce soit sur les toits, le sol ou les façades,   valoriser le patrimoine et l’histoire du site. 

  Valoriser le patrimoine et l’histoire du site           Le projet fait dialoguer l’ancien et le moderne : 60% des bâtiments de l’hôpital Saint-Vincent-de-Paul sont préservés et transformés afin de s’adapter à leur nouvel usage (logement et équipement). Les cours anglaises caractéristiques de l’architecture hospitalière accueilleront les commerces et locaux d’activités. Quatre nouveaux bâtiments seront créés là où les anciennes installations n’ont pas pu être préservées.

  Un quartier d'habitations, ouvert sur la ville et favorisant la mixité sociale                 
    Résidentiel et mixte, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul réunit habitat, équipements publics et privés, commerces et activités économiques.

  Une démarche environnementale ambitieuse et exemplaire    L’espace public, circulable ou paysager, occupe une part importante. Dans le projet Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, le quartier s’organise autour d’une croisée centrale végétalisée de 4000 m2 dédiée au repos et au jeu. Une boucle de circulation périphérique unique dessert les différents points du quartier et permet l’accès des véhicules de secours. Elle est aménagée en « zone de rencontre » paysagée, sans chaussée et trottoir distincts : la vitesse y est limitée à 20 km/h, piétons, cyclistes et ponctuellement des véhicules partagent l’espace.

                          
   Un quartier à dominante logement    Le logement représente à lui seul les deux-tiers du programme. Il se décompose en trois catégories : logement social (50%), logement « en accession libre » (30%) et logement « intermédiaire » (20%). Cette dernière est constituée de logements neufs, dont les loyers sont inférieurs de 10 à 15 % à ceux du marché. Une opportunité pour les foyers dont les revenus excèdent les plafonds du logement social.

                
    Deux équipements majeurs participent de l’animation et de l’attractivité du site :

    Un équipement petite enfance, scolaire et sportif occupe le bâtiment Pinard sur 5 000 m². Conçu d’emblée pour une grande modularité et adaptabilité, il propose des espaces mutualisables que les résidents et les riverains peuvent s'approprier (halls, cour, réfectoire…) ;   Un CINASPIC (construction et installation nécessaires aux services publics ou d'intérêt collectif) qui accueillera notamment des activités culturelles et créatives. 

          De même que les 7 500 m² de commerces et d’activités marchandes ou productives, innovantes dont une partie est dédiée à l’économie sociale et solidaire.

    Les chiffres clés   • 600 logements (dont 50% sociaux, 20% intermédiaires et 8% en bail réel solidaire)• 4 000 m2 d'espace public végétalisé• Un groupe scolaire de 8 classes• Une crèche de 900 m2• Un gymnase de 1 700 m2• 7 500 m2 de locaux d’activités et de commerces, dont 2000 m2 d'intérêt collectif• Un équipement privé à vocation culturelle et créative 
   Le calendrier prévisionnel     2028 : Fin des travaux de construction et d'aménagement   2020 : Démarrage des travaux espaces publics   2019 - 2026 : Démarche citoyenne participative 

  Les acteurs     Aménagement : Paris & Métropole aménagement   Maîtrise d’œuvre urbaine : Agence Anyoji Beltrando (architectes urbanistes, mandataire), Alphaville (programmiste), EVP (BET structure)   Maîtrise d’œuvre espaces publics : Empreinte (paysagiste, mandataire), Artelia (BET VRD), 8’18’’ (concepteur lumière)   Assistances à maîtrise d’ouvrage :- Projet urbain collaboratif et maîtrise d’usage : Le Sens de la Ville- Environnement : Alto Step (mandataire), ATM, Climat Mundi, Medieco- Mobilités : Codra, Chronos- Réemploi : Mobius (mandataire), Lab Ingénérie, Neo Eco, BTP Consultant, Atelier Na- Commerces : Bérénice- Communication : À vrai dire la ville- Ateliers participatifs : Palabréo 

  L'historique du projet     2020 : Démarrage des travaux espaces publics   2018 - 2022 : Travaux de déconstruction et de réseaux   2018- 2020 : Consultations et choix des projets et travaux de déconstruction   2018 - 2019 : Études urbaines   2016 : Modification du Plan Local d'Urbanisme autorisant la transformation du site et désignation de l'aménageur (Paris & Métropole Aménagement)   2015 : Désignation de l'équipe de concepteurs urbains animée par l'agence Anoyoji Beltrando   2014 - 2020: Les Grands Voisins, Occupation temporaire par l'association Aurore, Yes We Camp et la coopérative Plateaux Urbains   2010 : Première étude de faisabilité 

  La création et réalisation de la ZAC Saint-Vincent- de-Paul (2016) et sa modification (2020)    
  La concertation     Une exposition a été organisée du mercredi 11 mai au mercredi 1er juin 2016 à la mairie du 14ème arrondissement, 2, place Ferdinand Brunot, 75014 Paris et sur le site, salle de la lingerie, entrée par le 82, avenue Denfert Rochereau 75014 Paris.Des visites guidées de l’exposition ont été proposées lors des deux permanences organisées de 18h30 à 20h les 25 et 26 mai 2016 sur le site, salle de la lingerie, entrée par le 82, avenue Denfert Rochereau 75014 Paris.Télécharger les panneaux de l'exposition (format PDF : 12,3 Mo)Un registre papier en mairie du 14ème arrondissement et un registre électronique via [concertation puis stvincentdepaul.fr après le signe @]pbapregngvba@fgivapragqrcnhy.se[concertation puis stvincentdepaul.fr après le signe @] ont été mis à disposition du public jusqu'au 1er juin 2016.Une réunion publique d'information s'est déroulée le mercredi 1er juin 2016 à 19h00 sur le site, salle Colombani, entrée par le 82, avenue Denfert Rochereau 75014 Paris.Télécharger l'invitation (format PDF : 862 Ko)Télécharger le compte-rendu (format PDF : 1,70 Mo)Le Comité d'organisation de la concertation s'est réuni les 14 avril, 10 mai, 6 juin et 16 novembre 2016.Télécharger le compte-rendu du 14 avril ( format PDF : 446 Ko)Télécharger le compte-rendu du 10 mai (format PDF : 118 Ko)Télécharger le compte-rendu du 6 juin (format PDF : 326 Ko)Télécharger le compte-rendu du 16 novembre (format PDF : 590 Ko)Approbation du bilan de la concertationLors de la séance des 4, 5, 6 et 7 juillet 2016, le Conseil de Paris a voté l'approbation du bilan de la concertation préalable (2016 DU 132-1) et les modalités de mise à disposition du public du dossier d’étude d’impact environnemental (2016 DU 132-2) en vue de la création de la Zone d’Aménagement Concerté (ZAC) Saint-Vincent-de-Paul (14e).Télécharger l'exposé des motifs (format PDF : 146 Ko)Télécharger le bilan de la concertation (format PDF : 995 Ko)Télécharger la délibération DU 132-1 (format PDF : 110 Ko)Télécharger la délibération DU 132-2 (format PDF : 115 Ko)Etude d'impact environnementalLe dossier du projet de création de ZAC comprenant son étude d'impact environnemental a été mis à disposition du public du jeudi 15 septembre au vendredi 14 octobre 2016.Ce dossier a été déposé à la mairie du 14ème arrondissement et mis à la disposition du public qui a pu en prendre connaissance et consigner ses observations sur le registre déposé à cet effet. Il était également consultable sur la plateforme participative dédiée sur laquelle un registre électronique était mis à disposition.Un atelier de présentation de l'étude d'impact a eu lieu le lundi 26 septembre 2016 à 19h00 à l'ancien hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul, Bâtiment et salle Colombani, 82, avenue Denfert Rochereau 75014 PARIS.Télécharger l'affiche de présentation (format PDF : 290 Ko)Télécharger le compte rendu (format PDF : 486 Ko)   - Etudes patrimoniales : Etude de juin 2013 réalisée par le Groupe de recherche Art histoire architecture et littérature (GRAHAL) Consultez le document- Lecture du site et orientations de l'équipe de maîtrise d'oeuvre urbaine Anyoji Beltrando (novembre 2015) Téléchargez le document- Etude urbaine « Inventer un jardin habité ». Etude de capacité en vue d’une évolution du PLU réalisée par l'équipe Atelier Xavier Lauzeral. Consultez le document 

  En savoir plus  

 
Walmart has renewed its partnership with specialty waste and environmental services company Denali, which will provide the retailer with food waste recycling at all of its U.S. locations, according to a Tuesday press release. 
Through the agreement, the companies will divert non-edible food from landfills to instead create compost, feed animals and generate renewable energy. A Denali spokesperson noted that this announcement is the first time Walmart and Denali have made their partnership public.    
This announcement marks Walmart’s latest effort to bolster its sustainability efforts after introducing a number of new initiatives in recent years.
 The renewed agreement will help Walmart to achieve its waste diversion goal, according to a Denali spokesperson, as millions of pounds of food will go toward “beneficial uses.” 
In its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance report, Walmart stated it wanted to reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2030 and has already achieved approximately a 12% reduction as of the end of 2022. The retailer also has the goal of achieving zero waste to landfills and incineration in its Canada, Mexico and U.S. markets by 2025. For its U.S. operations, Walmart diverted 78% of its waste materials last year, per the report. 
The partnership builds on Walmart’s efforts to move toward a circular economy, which involves putting focus on the reuse, recycling and regeneration of materials, the Denali spokesperson said. 
Both companies will continue to explore new strategies and tools to reduce food waste and support recycling, per the press release. 
Across its operations, Denali recycles over 10 billion pounds of organic materials annually with a significant portion coming from grocery retailers, according to the announcement. The company works with compost manufacturers, including its own network of two dozen compost facilities, to transform food waste, and works with local farms, where certain foods are used as animal feed. Denali also provides food waste to anaerobic digesters for the creation of renewable energy. 
The greenhouse gas mitigation impact of Denali’s food waste recycling efforts is annually equal to taking around 100,000 cars off the road or providing electricity to over 60,000 homes for a year, the press release noted.  
This is not the first time Walmart has made strides to lessen its food waste. In March 2022, the retailer signed on to the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment, an organization working to reduce food waste by 50% along the West Coast by 2030. 
Walmart has also made internal moves to improve sustainability among its products. As of September, the retailer’s Great Value private label line now includes compostable cutlery, which is in line with several of its sustainability goals, including reducing its virgin plastic use, achieving zero emissions by 2024 and making all of its private brand packaging 100% recyclable, reusable or industrially compostable by 2025.  

Two local companies have partnered to process food waste from thousands of grocery stores into compost and other beneficial materials.
Walmart and Russellville-based Denali earlier this month announced a renewed agreement to collect food past its edible lifespan from more than 4,600 Walmart locations across the U.S. The organic material is then composted, converted into animal feed and processed in anaerobic digesters for energy generation, according to Denali’s news release.
“Walmart is a leader and innovator in making retail more sustainable. Denali is proud to provide services that bring Walmart closer to its goal of zero waste in its U.S. operations by 2025,” Denali CEO Todd Mathes said.
The agreement represents just one portion of Denali’s organics recycling operation, which also collects waste from thousands of other grocery stores and industries. Denali says it’s the nation’s leading organics recycler and diverts billions of pounds of waste a year from landfills.
It’s also not the first time the two corporations have cooperated, though it’s the first time the relationship has been publicized. Walmart has set goals to keep all of its U.S. waste out of landfills and cut food waste in half by 2030.
The two are linked in another way as well. Walmart provided the original grant to start NWA Recycles in 2021, and Denali is among the local stakeholders that work with us in seeking ways to improve the region’s recycling programs. Together they illustrate the substantial interest and capability for recycling in this corner of Arkansas.
compostingdenalifood wasterecyclingsustainabilitywalmartwaste reduction 

     Walmart’s grocery business continues to grow amid a challenging economic season and cash-strapped consumers. After spending several years and untold millions revamping its supply chain and in-store delivery capabilities, Walmart will now offer Express Delivery for items in as little as 30 minutes as well as Late Night Delivery services at over 4,000 locations in addition to same-day and in-home delivery options. Its next-gen fulfillment centers are ready to plate tables and stuff stockings as consumers look toward the holidays and new year.
Walmart’s ambitious grocery plans are paying big dividends. Shares of its stock have hit an all-time high and investors hope for a strong holiday season from the big-box retailer as more higher-income shoppers are turning to the super retailer to address their grocery and gifting needs. Walmart has also enjoyed double-digit e-commerce gains the past two quarters, eclipsing competitors such as Target.
Many will be looking toward the calendar with an eye not only on their budgets, baubles, and bubbles for the holidays, but also toward reducing food waste for themselves and their families. Despite a softer economic landing than many predicted, food is still wildly expensive for many consumers—the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the food index rose 0.2% in September, as it did the previous two months; food at home increased 0.1% and food away from home rose almost half a percentage point.
Some may even opt to go cold turkey on, well, turkey, as the predicted cost of a Thanksgiving meal is expected to be more—not less—than last year.
Many are spending only what they need to in the food/bev space to fill their plates and bellies without too much waste making its way into the compost or garbage can. Americans waste an astounding volume of food—more than 119 billion pounds per year, according to data from FeedingAmerica.Org—the equivalent of over 130 billion meals and almost half a trillion dollars thrown away each year.

Giving Away Food Can Bolster Revenue
Nearly 40% of all food in America is wasted.
“Walmart and other retailers should be even more aggressive in rescuing food BEFORE it gets upcycled,” said Kimberly Smith to The Food Institute. Smith is CEO of Copia, a leading technology platform for managing food surplus redistribution for retailers, grocers, restaurants, and more.
“As the new EPA Wasted Food Scale indicates, donation is at least as important as upcycling when it comes to food surplus. But when retailers—who account for 20% of the food waste in America—choose to donate first, there are multiple advantages.”
Smith said donating helps the bottom line because retailers are able to spend less on waste hauling and, more critically, can claim an enhanced tax deduction up to twice the base value of the donated food.
“Further, one in ten Americans struggle with food insecurity, so by donating their surplus, large retailers like Walmart are able to make a dramatic impact on hunger in the communities in which they operate.”
Walmart recently renewed its partnership with Denali, a specialty waste and environmental services company, which will provide Walmart food waste recycling at all of its domestic locations. The recent announcement comes after Walmart’s continuing sustainability efforts and new initiatives piloted over the last several years, such as the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment, and Walmart hopes to divert its non-edible food from landfills to instead create animal feed, compost, and generate renewable energy.
According to its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance report, Walmart hopes to reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2030 and has already achieved over 10% as of the end of 2022; last year, Walmart diverted 78% of its waste materials.
In an era of increased greenwashing and many companies abandoning once-ambitious ESG plans altogether, Walmart appears to be making real strides toward helping reduce food waste, solve food deserts, and burnishing its worldwide brand a little more.
“Companies can enhance sales strategy by implementing intelligent pricing and markdown techniques, including the use of markdown alert applications to offer near-expiry products at discounted prices with greater efficiency,” said Cristina Solis, an environmental engineer and sustainability consultant at Green Hive, a platform that promotes sustainability practices.
Solis said reducing food waste can benefit grocers and retailers at any scale with several notable long-term solutions:

Reducing food waste can in fact bolster revenue by claiming tax deductions, reducing costs associated with waste disposal, and enticing eco-conscious consumers into the store.
Companies can shine their brand image and appeal to a customer base more savvy and concerned with corporate practices than ever before.
Humanitarian and ecologically minded company practices have been proven to also increase employee satisfaction and increase productivity.

“Food waste is simply a logistical issue,” said Hillary Cohen, co-founder of Every Day Action, a nonprofit that helps eliminate food waste by redistributing unused meals from film and TV sets.
In 2015, the USDA joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and set a goal to cut that nation’s food waste by 50% by 2030. Walmart has also made internal strides with its own products to meet its ESG goals—its Great Value line of private label cutlery is now compostable, helping to reduce virgin plastic use in hopes of achieving zero emissions by 2024 and eventually making all of its private brand packaging 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025.
    

 ReCirculate compost from Denali will be available at 600-plus Walmart stores across the country by April, in time for peak spring planting season.   ReCirculate, a premium compost product made from unconsumed food sourced from thousands of grocery stores by Denali, a Russellville, Ark.-based recycler of organics, is now available for purchase at more than 100 Walmart locations in eight southern states. Packaged in 1-cubic-foot bags and retailing for a suggested $6.97, consistent with other products of its kind, ReCirculate will be available at 600-plus Walmart stores across the country  by April, in time for peak spring planting season. Denali works with Walmart and other retailers to leverage their unsaleable food with Denali’s depackaging technology that separates organic food from its packaging and transforms it into a clean stream of materials that are then made into such useful products as compost, soil, fertilizer and renewable energy. The process simplifies the depackaging process for retailers while keeping unsold food out of landfills. “The ReCirculate product is a perfect example of Walmart’s circular business models and how we make the most of our resources,” said RJ Zanes, VP of facility services at Walmart. “We’re taking unsalable merchandise and repurposing it into a different product we can sell on our shelves – benefiting our business, our customers and the planet.”Denali repurposes uneaten food, helping fight climate change by diverting organic material from landfills and returning nutrients to agriculture and horticulture. 

JULIE GALLAGHERAURORA, Colo. -- A Wal-Mart supercenter here will turn fresh produce, deli, meat, bakery and dairy food waste into compost and experiment with used cooking oil as a potential heating source.The tests are two of more than 50 environmentally friendly measures being tried in the supercenter that opened earlier this month. The Aurora location is Wal-Mart's second ecologically friendly experimental store. The first one, launched in July in McKinney, Texas, is testing the two recycling projects along with 24 other experiments.Wal-Mart Stores created the ecologically friendly store format to learn more about how it and the entire industry can improve environmental sustainability, according to the retailer. The company plans to focus more attention on reducing energy costs and adopting environmentally sound practices as it opens new stores, said Lee Scott, the retailer's chairman and chief executive officer, in a recent speech."As we start building new stores, we are committed to developing a new prototype that will be 25% to 30% more efficient and produce 30% less greenhouse gas emissions than current stores and it will be operational within the next four years," Scott said in the speech.Officials are watching the experiments closely. Information relating to both stores' energy efficiency is collected, monitored and compared to that of nearby traditional Wal-Mart supercenters. In addition to sharing results with the retail industry, general public and government agencies, Wal-Mart will apply the findings to future stores, the retailer said."The experiments in this experimental store will help us evaluate some new technologies which we hope will save energy, reduce maintenance and add more profits to the bottom line," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Tara Stewart said. "All this while we do our part to save the environment for future generations."The Aurora store's fresh food handlers are being educated about the types of waste that are appropriate for composting. Wal-Mart will begin separating its organic waste in the Aurora store next month when the 30-day training period ends."There is a learning curve with new stores," said Bob Yost, vice president of new business development, A1 Organics, Eaton, Colo. "We can compost any organic material that is carbon-based or once living. We're training the staff on how to properly separate the waste."In addition to creating compost for Wal-Mart's Aurora store, A1 Organics works with some of Whole Foods Market's and Wild Oats Markets' Colorado stores, Yost said.Though many types of waste -- ranging from cake to soda pop, and untreated and unpainted wood -- are appropriate for composting, fruits and vegetables usually make up a big portion of retailers' organic food waste, he said."When fruit is sorted, presale, [retailers] often have apples that are bruised and don't meet the quality standards or they'll have to discard some of the lettuce they use to prepare a salad in the deli," Yost said.Waste that is appropriate for composting will be collected in specially marked containers that are emptied into a 10-ton compactor in the back of the store, Yost said. Once the compactor is full, its contents will be taken to A1 Organics' facility where the material will be broken down by microorganisms to a point where the compost can be safely applied to the environment. The process takes between 90 and 120 days. Wal-Mart plans to have the compost packaged so that it can be sold in its stores.The retailer is currently exploring composting "leftovers" from food consumed in the store, according to Yost. The process is known as post-sale composting. The Aurora store features a Subway restaurant and a Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza."[Wal-Mart] said they're wide open to [the post-sale composting idea]," Yost said. "I've been very impressed with [the retailer's] willingness to incorporate some of [A1 Organics] new ideas."Although vegetable oil used in Wal-Mart's deli would be appropriate for composting, the experimental stores have other plans for it. When the McKinney store requires heat, vegetable oil that's used for things like frying chicken will be collected and stored in a 100-gallon tank in the kitchen area. The oil from that tank will be pumped to an 800-gallon tank located in the back of the store, according to Mike MacDonald, research engineer, Oak Ridge National Laboratories, an Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based company that is monitoring the results of the experiments at the McKinney site. (ORNL is a U.S. Department of Energy lab.)The used vegetable oil will then be pumped to a 100-gallon tank in the store's boiler room where it will be mixed with waste engine oil from the store's Tire and Lube Express."The deli and Tire and Lube Express areas are on different sides of the building, so the oil has to be pumped to [the central location of] the bio-fuel boiler," Stewart said. "The vegetable oil and the motor oil are stored separately and then combined in the bio-fuel boiler to be burned when heat is needed."When heat is not required, used vegetable oil is "hauled off by contracted recyclers and recycled in [Wal-Mart's] normal way," Stewart said. "All stores recycle used oil, cardboard, paper, plastic bags, film, car batteries, photo processing waste and more."Although the vegetable oil heating system has been tested at the McKinney store, there has yet to be a need for heat in either store. Based on results of the initial test, the process needs work before it will be up and running, MacDonald said."It's still missing some key valves that are required for it to work properly, but it's a pretty darn interesting experiment," he said. "[ORNL] watched the design evolve and [the system] has gotten a lot more complicated."Wal-Mart is doing a similar test at the Aurora store. The heat generated in the boiler is directed into the heating, ventilation and radiant floor heating systems. Once it's fully operational, it could reduce the Aurora supercenter's use of natural gas by just under 22,000 therms per year, according to Wal-Mart's estimate.

 Do you ever stop to consider the grocery section?How all this food got here, and what final destination awaits it? Be it someone’s gi-tract or rotting away in a landfill? The produce aisle is hardly a place for existential thought, but an informed observer may have trouble producing anything but.In 2022, Americans threw away, incinerated or otherwise didn’t eat about 78 million tons of food, according to national nonprofit ReFED. That’s more than a third of the 235 million tons in our food supply.A lot of this waste occurs in a grocery store when unsold food goes bad."I mean, first and foremost, when we have, you know, waste from a food perspective, whether it be expired or whether it have, you know, lost its cold chain, our associates would go pull it, they would ultimately take it to a bin in the back of the store, in a refrigerator."RJ Zanes is vice president of facility services for Walmart U.S. His day-to-day involves ensuring items sold by Walmart get to stores on time. But he also helps the corporation work toward loftier environmental goals by captaining the solid waste team."A lot of our zero emissions initiatives run through our organization," Zanes said. "Such as how we move from high GWP or global warming potential refrigerants to low GWP refrigerants. How we create circularity in all of our goods for sale and ensure that they are recycled and disposed of properly and responsibly. And that's where Zero DePack falls into, that portion of my overall everyday workload."Zero DePack is a new technology that Walmart is partnering with organic waste disposal company Denali to utilize. It’s a large contraption that uses scales and sensors to automatically separate food from its packaging. It then processes the organic matter into a different– yet usable– form.
          A Zero DePack Unit in action.  

Zanes said the operation begins when a Walmart store associate pulls an unsold food item from the shelves. Next they take it, packaging and all, and simply toss it into a bin in the back of the store."We have our logistics infrastructure that would come on a specific frequency to pick up the waste," he said. "Our associates go out prior to the scheduled pickup, put it into the bin that ultimately gets picked up by one of our logistics infrastructure trucks and vehicles that then is taken to either a transfer station— if we don't have the infrastructure or the technology here locally, it will go to a transfer station, get transferred to another vehicle, a larger vehicle, that can take multiple quantities of tonnage, worth of waste. It then gets transferred to where the technology sits."The technology being a Zero DePack unit. Zanes said the final form and purpose of uneaten food varies depending on the material being refined."Say, if it is fresh food waste and it is going to a location that we repurpose it for mulch, it is then put into that technology that then de-packages all of that food waste," he said. "That food waste then gets pushed out as a sludge on the backside. Packages go one way. Sludge goes the other way. That sludge is then mixed with various levels of vegetation— such as the trees that we have trimmed on our properties— and gets pushed into the mix of of all of that food waste sludge. It then goes through a curing process. They mix it, they continue to turn it, allow it to settle, they filter it further, and then they turn it into a fine compost that our farmers use."Food can also be turned into veterinarian-regulated feed for cattle and even converted to methane, which will ultimately become natural gas.Walmart has used this technology for about a year now. There have been logistical challenges, but the advantages of the new technology are apparent. Zanes said associates are now spending less time de-packaging products thanks to the new equipment.Stacy Chaparro is deli and bakery lead at Walmart Supercenter #5260 in Rogers. In addition to the bakery and deli, she oversees all fresh food departments, including produce and meat. When food reaches its sell-by date, it’s her job to make sure it reaches the appropriate receptacle in the correct form. Before Zero DePack, that meant it was free of all packaging, which was not a quick task for her team."They would spend hours, like two hours doing that," Chapparo said. "Whereas now we just claim it out and then we just put it in the bin, or, like, in the tote itself."
          A Walmart associate scans a fresh food item, readying to place it in a bin for de-packaging.  

She leads the way to the back of the deli. A few large bins filled with unopened hot food like wraps and corndogs are waiting there. Chaparro said wraps and sandwiches were especially difficult because almost every ingredient belongs in a different bin."Just throw it in here," she said. "And this is all stuff from the hot case that expired, like, for the time limit. And here's like the corn dogs that we made earlier that didn't sell. And, so now we don't have to take it out of the package, and then we don't have to separate like the chicken and the hot dog."According to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, Walmart produced more than 1.2 million tons of new plastic packaging from December 2020 to December 2021. Only 7% of that plastic was made from post-consumer recycled content. But Zanes said they’re committed to being a sustainable company.Walmart has stated a goal of allowing zero waste into landfills and incineration in its operations in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. by 2025. Although, the company also has stores and facilities in Africa, Asia and South America. Walmart also aims to reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2030– Zanes says he is proud to take point in that endeavor."I'm an avid hunter," Zanes said. "I love getting out in the outdoors, and I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to experience what I've experienced throughout my lifetime. And it takes us putting these investments corporately into play to make sure that we save our planet and ensure that our future generations have the ability to live just the same way we are today."He said reducing food waste is just one lever Walmart is pulling to reach its sustainability goals."I think that what I'm most proud of is the team," he said. "We'll continue to innovate. The team is after making sure that we get to that 100% mark, with getting to 100% circularity and all of our process mitigating and eliminating all of the waste that we have, as well as getting to a zero emission state across the overall platform, it will take all of us. It's not one of us. It's not somebody in a home office somewhere that's creating it takes all. Our associates out in the field. It takes all of the other businesses, all of our communities, to make this happen. And ultimately we will be at the forefront, continuing to lead, continuing to innovate, continuing to celebrate and get all of the communities involved to eventually, hopefully create a zero emissions planet and a zero waste planet is the overall goal, right?"Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. The authoritative record of KUAF programming is the audio record.Support KUAF and Keep Public Radio ThrivingFor more than 50 years, KUAF has been your source for reliable news, enriching music and community connection. Your support allows us to bring you trustworthy journalism through programs like Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Ozarks at Large. As we build for the next 50 years, we need your support for KUAF to ensure we continue to provide the news, music, and connections you value. Your support is not just appreciated; it's essential. Make your gift today here.Thank you for supporting KUAF! 

 Walmart will stock the garden departments of at least 600 U.S. stores with compost made out of food waste collected from its grocery operations.  ReCirculate is made by Denali, a 10-year-old organic recycler that has been collecting food waste since July at more than 1,400 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations in 16 markets, including Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Walmart manages 4,700 stores across the U.S.  The compost will be priced just under $7 per one-cubic-foot bag. It’s Denali’s first retail product to market the use of unsalable food as an ingredient. ReCirculate will be sold initially in eight states where Walmart stores sell high quantities of soil supplements: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Walmart’s purchasing team picked the locations. Walmart, the largest U.S. grocery retailer, has pledged to reduce the operational food waste generated by its stores 50 percent by 2030, compared with a 2016 baseline. So far, it has managed a 12 percent cut, after some recalculations. For example, it turns outdated bread into croutons used for salads or into crostinis. Rotisserie chicken might eventually turn up in salads. The retailer is also seeking ways to cut the amount of methane generated by the organic materials it sends to landfills, by processing it in different ways. Walmart diverts 78 percent of all its waste from landfills. Spoiled produce, expired meats and dairy products, out-of-date bread and beverages, and other foods unsold by grocery retailers contribute to an estimated 4.4 million tons in U.S. food waste annually. At least half of those organic materials wind up in landfills, where they contribute to rising methane emissions. There’s also a clear economic impact: a loss of about $3.6 billion across the industry in unsold inventory. Walmart is among the seven retail signatories of the U.S. Food Waste Pact, coordinated by nonprofit ReFed and World Wildlife Fund, that requires organizations to set a food waste reduction goal and report regularly on progress. The other retailers are Ahold Delhaize, Aldi, Albertsons, Amazon Fresh, Kroger and Whole Foods.  Denali picked up and recycled 7 million tons of food waste in 2023, recycling it into animal feed, biodiesel, compost, mulch and soils. Its customers include stadiums, hotels, food production facilities and retailers. The company estimates those collection and mitigation efforts represent the equivalent of taking 100,000 gas-powered cars off the road for a year.  Walmart is the first retailer to use Denali’s “depackaging” technology, Zero De-Pack, which makes it simpler for stores to separate produce and other food from cardboard boxes, metal cans, plastic containers and wrappers. The two have been collaborating for two years. “It’s great to see unique partnerships at the food recycling level,” said Jackie Suggitt, vice president of business initiatives and community engagement at ReFed. Many grocers are using technology and other best practices to prevent waste in the first place, but we’re always going to have food that will require attention at the end of its life, she said. Denali provides bins with a capacity of three cubic yards, where retailers deposit food waste on a daily basis. Denali’s fleet of 1,300 trucks empty them on a weekly basis or when the bins are full. The depackaging equipment handles the separation automatically at one of its facilities.  The compost being sold in Walmart’s stores will contain organic matter collected from all of Denali’s customers, not just Walmart. Denali collects “from thousands of retail locations, so it’s difficult to say that a specific food waste item went into a bag that originated from a specific retailer,” said Eric Speiser, chief revenue officer. Denali declined to provide a life-cycle analysis of the emissions associated with processing and transporting ReCirculate to retailers, compared with similar products. Generally speaking, turning organic matter into compost is far less-intensive than allowing it to decay in landfills, Suggitt said. “It comes down to how far it’s being transported, is it replacing fertilizer, is it being used?” she said. Denali works with a network of two dozen compost facilities and also sells compost in bulk to garden and nursery outlets, builders, golf courses and landscapers. Denali’s other products, such as animal feed, are custom-blended for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operations, Speiser said. Its biodiesel and lubricants are sold to automotive companies. [Gain insights to move beyond incremental action and accelerate the shift to a circular economy at Circularity, April 29-May 1, Denver, CO.] 

United States

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Denali Corp is an innovative environmental organization focused on transforming unused organic materials. Their mission is to unlock the value of organic waste by diverting materials from landfills and creating sustainable solutions. Specifically, they produce:
- High-quality animal feed
- Biofuels
- Organic fertilizers
The company is committed to positively impacting communities and the environment by reimagining how organic materials are utilized, rather than simply disposing of them in landfills.

Denali

Walmart has partnered with Denali, a specialty waste and environmental services company, to implement a comprehensive food waste recycling programme across all its U.S. locations. This initiative aims to divert non-edible food from landfills, instead repurposing it to create compost, feed animals, and generate renewable energy.<a href="https://www.grocerydive.com/news/walmart-food-waste-sustainability-denali/696741/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4</a>&nbsp;The programme demonstrates a successful circular economy model in the retail sector, addressing the critical issue of food waste whilst creating valuable resources.

Read more at:

<http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/articles/walmart-explains-
introduction-sustainability-scorecards-product-categories>