Household food waste in Surakarta City, Indonesia: Quantity, global warming potential (GWP), and management

Abstract

Households represent one of the main contributors to food waste in urban areas. Surakarta is one of the cities in Indonesia where a significant portion of household food waste is disposed of in landfill sites. The piles of food waste can become an environmental issue if left unmanaged, as they generate greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The aim of this research is to determine the quantity, emission estimations, and management of household food waste in Surakarta City. A total of 151 household samples had their food waste collected over a period of 7 days. The method for measuring the quantity of food waste involved direct measurements using a scale, calculating food waste emissions using the GWP formula, and collecting management data through a questionnaire. The research results indicate that, on average, households dispose of 0.499 kg/week of food waste and estimate food waste emissions to be 0.789 kg CO2e/week. In addition to being discarded, some food waste is managed as animal feed and fertilizer. Implementing proper and sustainable management can lead to a reduction in the quantity of food waste sent to landfills.