Mexico City Launches Zero Food Waste Certification Program

On Monday, the Ministry of the Environment of Mexico City (SEDEMA) announced the Zero Food Waste Certification Program (PCCRA) through the capital’s Official Gazette. The certification program is a voluntary self-regulation instrument designed with a criteria application and evaluation process to encourage large generators of organic waste to take care of natural resources and promote food sustainability. The initiative targets establishments dedicated to the commercialization and/or distribution of food in Mexico City that generate a significant amount of organic waste, including supermarkets, restaurants, hospitals, hotels, public markets, supply centers, and others with an interest in participating, with the aim of reducing, preventing, recovering, recycling, and making use of this waste. 

In addition to preventing food loss, the project aims to ensure food security and provide social benefits that improve the quality of life for Mexico City residents through strategies of responsible consumption, recovery, and reintegration of food into the productive chain. In Mexico City, approximately 964.08t of food waste (mainly fruits and vegetables) are discarded daily, according to the 2022 Solid Waste Inventory. In contrast, during 2022, only 28.1t of food were donated to public and community dining rooms through the Central de Abasto Food Collection and Recovery Center (CEDA), contributing to food security for the population.

The PCCRA also seeks to reduce the environmental impacts associated with the generation, handling, and comprehensive management of food waste, such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the increase in waste volume managed by the collection system, the loss of natural resources, and the final disposal of this waste in inappropriate sites.

According to the National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Compounds 1990-2019, published by the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), in 2019, Mexico emitted 736.63Mt of CO₂e, with 7% of these emissions coming from waste disposal. CO₂e emissions include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and other GHGs. Food waste is responsible for 8-10% of annual GHG emitted into the atmosphere every year, as reported by FAO, and is particularly relevant to CH4 emissions. The global warming potential of methane is 100 times that of CO2, and food waste alone contributes nearly 40% of CH4 emissions each year.

According to the statement issued by SEDEMA in the Official Gazette, once registered in the program, participants must comply with a PCCRA Implementation Plan outlining the actions they will take to meet the Zero Food Waste Criteria. Subsequently, they must review the implementation plan's results by preparing a semi-annual results report. Finally, once the PCCRA objectives are met, establishments can request the Zero Food Waste Certification, valid for 18 months with the possibility of renewal.