The Food Waste Hierarchy: Turning Waste into Soil And Community

Every year, nearly one-third of all food produced globally is wasted. In the UK, millions of tonnes of food end up in bins, where it breaks down and releases methane, a greenhouse gas more harmful than carbon dioxide.

Tackling food waste is one of the most powerful ways we can reduce emissions, support communities, and protect our soils. The food waste hierarchy is a simple, proven framework to help us do exactly that.

Understanding the Food Waste Hierarchy

The hierarchy shows the most effective actions for reducing waste, from prevention to composting. Think of it as a ladder: the higher you climb, the bigger the impact.

The four main levels are:

1️⃣ Prevention

Stop food waste before it happens.

2️⃣ Redistribution

Feed people, not bins.

3️⃣ Composting

Turn unavoidable scraps into living soil.

4️⃣ Landfill (last resort)

Send as little as possible.

1. Prevention: Stop Waste Before It Starts

Prevention sits at the top because it saves resources, money, and emissions all at once.

Simple prevention steps:

• Plan meals and shopping lists to buy only what you’ll use.

• Store food properly to extend freshness.

• Use leftovers creatively in soups, stews, and smoothies.

Research shows that meal planning can reduce household waste by up to 20%. Community workshops on meal prep and storage multiply these savings across entire neighbourhoods.

When we prevent food waste, we’re also preventing waste of the soil, water, and energy used to grow and transport it.

2. Redistribution: Feed People, Not Landfills

The second step is redistribution, getting edible surplus food to those who need it.

Food banks, community fridges, and redistribution apps connect surplus meals from homes, schools, and restaurants with people facing food insecurity.

In the UK, projects like FareShare and Neighbourly redirect millions of meals each year. On a smaller scale, community-led fridges help build relationships and reduce stigma.

Redistribution turns waste into nourishment and reminds us that sustainability is also about solidarity.

3. Composting: Turning Waste Into Living Soil

When food can’t be eaten, it still has value. Composting transforms organic waste into nutrient-rich compost that feeds soil life and closes the loop.

At Generation Soil, we turn Bristol’s food scraps into living compost through the Bristol Living Compost Project, a community composting collective turning food waste into living soil.

Healthy compost is full of beneficial microorganisms that restore fertility, improve water retention, and build climate resilience.

Community gardens using compost produce up to 30% more food and support thriving pollinator habitats.

Composting is also one of the easiest actions for households and schools:

• Use a caddy for daily food scraps.

• Ferment food waste with bokashi to prevent odours.

• Drop off compost at local hubs or use it in your garden.

When we compost, we don’t just recycle, we regenerate.

Four. Landfill: The Last Resort

Sending food waste to landfill should be the absolute last option. When food breaks down without oxygen, it creates methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases.

Every tonne of food waste avoided saves around 2.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions.

By prioritising prevention, redistribution, and composting, we dramatically reduce what ends up buried and the emissions that follow.

Building Awareness and Community Action

Lasting change starts with education. Many people want to reduce food waste but don’t know where to start.

At Generation Soil CIC, we help bridge that gap with hands-on workshops and local composting hubs. Our sessions in Bristol teach:

• How to compost at home or in flats using bokashi.

• How food waste connects to soil health and climate change.

• How to start or join local composting initiatives.

Workshops do more than teach; they bring people together. When neighbours compost side by side, they also share ideas, seeds, and meals.

Decentralised Composting Hubs: Local Soil Solutions

Decentralised composting hubs are small, community-run sites where residents can bring food scraps for local composting. They:

• Reduce transport emissions.

• Create local jobs and volunteer opportunities.

• Produce compost for gardens, allotments, and food forests.

• Strengthen the connection between people and soil.

Our Bristol Living Compost Project is one of these hubs. Every week, members collect food waste across Bristol and transform it into living, nutrient-rich compost used to grow vegetables and restore soil health in the city’s gardens.

These hubs are more than waste facilities; they’re community ecosystems.

The Ripple Effect of the Food Waste Hierarchy

Putting the food waste hierarchy into practice benefits everyone.

Environmental:

• Cuts methane and CO₂ emissions.

• Improves soil structure and biodiversity.

• Reduces reliance on chemical fertilisers.

Social:

• Feeds people instead of bins.

• Builds stronger community networks.

• Increases awareness and behaviour change.

Economic:

• Lowers waste management costs.

• Supports local growers and composters.

• Helps households save money on food bills.

Final Thoughts: Join the Movement

Reducing food waste isn’t just about saving scraps; it’s about building a fairer, greener food system.

The food waste hierarchy gives us a clear roadmap:

1️⃣ Prevent what you can.

2️⃣ Share what’s edible.

3️⃣ Compost what remains.

At Generation Soil, we’re showing what this looks like in practice, from our workshops to our food forest and the Bristol Living Compost Project. Every bucket of food waste we collect becomes fertile ground for change.

Join us to help turn food waste into living soil.

Sign up for the Bristol Living Compost Project or learn how to start composting at home.

Together, we can transform Bristol’s food waste into a future where nothing is wasted, and everything returns to the soil.