How to Turn Unsellable Food & Beverage Waste into ESG Wins (Skip the Incinerator)
Unsellable food and beverage waste doesn’t have to go to landfill or incineration. With circular solutions like depackaging, animal feed, composting, anaerobic digestion, and waste-to-energy, companies can turn expired products into ESG wins. These methods keep food out of landfills, reduce greenhouse gases, and provide measurable sustainability reporting.
Why “incineration only” is outdated
Incineration eliminates waste but wastes potential value. Landfills and incinerators release harmful greenhouse gases without capturing environmental benefits. Circular alternatives create value from waste while protecting brand integrity.
Circular solutions for unsellable food & beverages
Depackaging separates food from packaging, opening up sustainable end uses:
Animal Feed – reusing calories as feedstock, reducing agricultural inputs.
Composting – enriching soil and diverting methane-heavy landfill waste.
Anaerobic Digestion (AD) – generating renewable biogas and electricity.
Waste-to-Energy (WTE) – producing engineered fuel for cement kilns.
Packaging Recovery – recycling or converting packaging into engineered fuel.
ESG reporting benefits
Choosing circular solutions allows companies to report:
Tons diverted from landfill
CO₂e greenhouse gas savings
Energy recovery (kWh)
Water savings (if applicable)
This data supports ESG frameworks (GRI, SASB, CDP) and corporate sustainability reports.
Brand protection + compliance
Expired or unsellable products are securely destroyed and certified, ensuring they never re-enter secondary markets. Clients receive a Certificate of Destruction, complete with sustainability metrics.
Mini FAQ
Q: Why is incineration not the best solution for food waste?
A: Incineration destroys waste but misses the opportunity to recover resources or reduce emissions. Circular solutions provide both disposal and measurable ESG benefits.
Q: What circular options exist for expired food & beverages?
A: Animal feed, composting, anaerobic digestion, waste-to-energy, and packaging recovery are all sustainable alternatives.
Q: How does this support ESG reporting?
A: By quantifying landfill diversion, CO₂e reductions, and energy recovery, companies can include these results in their ESG disclosures.
