Carbon credit standard-setter Verra has approved the first issuance of carbon credits under its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology dedicated to reducing food loss and waste.
The credits were generated by the US-based Brightly – Reducing Food Loss and Waste project (Verra Project 4711), which avoided approximately 720,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by diverting surplus food away from landfills and redirecting it to communities.
The project relies on Verra’s VM0046 Methodology for Reducing Food Loss and Waste, v1.0, which establishes a framework for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions prevented when food remains within the human supply chain rather than decomposing in municipal waste sites.
Developed by Boston-based technology firm Brightly, the initiative collaborates with 29 independent US food rescue organisations, including Feeding America. Between March 2020 and December 2023, the network recovered 15.3 billion pounds (6.9 billion kilogrammes) of surplus food.
Key operational aspects of the initiative include:
- Methane abatement: Preventing organic waste decomposition in landfills to reduce fugitive methane emissions.
- Carbon market monetisation: Creating a verified financial mechanism to channel carbon market revenue directly to non-profit food distribution networks.
- Methodology expansion: Demonstrating rigorous quantification standards for non-traditional, circular economy emissions reduction projects.
Mandy Rambharos, Chief Executive Officer of Verra, stated that the initial issuance demonstrates that food waste prevention can be measured with high integrity, opening up new carbon finance channels for targeted waste reduction strategies.
Andy Levitt, Chief Executive Officer of Brightly, added that converting food recovery operations into verified carbon impacts creates a sustainable funding model for food rescue partners across the United States.
