Framework proposal for estimating tourist food waste and its carbon footprint in China: Sampling from four main tourist destinations

Abstract

This study presents the first calculation of the total amount of tourist food waste (TFW) and its carbon footprint (CF) in China. Using first-hand data from the hotel/restaurant/café sector in four popular tourist cities, the TFW and its CF of the food life cycle for 31 regions in 2019 were quantified. The findings reveal that the average amount of TFW in China was 256.90±11.89 g/d/cap, totaling 9.95±0.50 million t of TFW generated in 2019, with grain accounting for 32.69% (3.25±0.24 million t). Furthermore, the annual CF of TFW attained 23.47±0.43 million t carbon dioxide (CO2) eq in 2019. Meat exhibited the largest CF (55.25%). Geographically, the CF of TFW was consistent with the geographical characteristics of the Hu Line, that is, larger toward the southeast. Notably, the CF of TFW during agricultural production (15.96±0.93 million t CO2 eq or 67.99%) accounted for most of the food life cycle.