Characteristics, influencing factors, and environmental effects of plate waste at university canteens in Beijing, China

Food waste in China has gained increased attention in recent years due to its rising quantity and adverse environmental, economic, and societal impacts. As university students are an indispensable part of Chinese society and will become the backbone of China's future sustainable development, their dietary habits and food-wasting behaviors are of both societal and scientific relevance. In this study, we combined direct weighing, questionnaire surveys, and regression analysis to quantify the plate waste of university students in Beijing and identified key influencing factors, based on 551 observations from 6 sample universities. We also evaluated the environmental impacts of university plate waste from the perspective of nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, and ecological footprints. The results showed that the average plate waste generated by university students in Beijing was 73.7 g/cap/meal in 2018, with staple foods and vegetables contributing the most. There were apparent correlations between plate waste and both grade level and financial condition: lower educational levels and higher disposable incomes both led to more food waste. Male students wasted significantly less staple food than female students. Students' self-report difficulty of avoiding waste significantly related to plate waste. Dietary preference and personal appetite were prominent considerations when students ordered food, corresponding to problems in food quality and quantity at university canteens. Attitudes most likely to reduce plate waste included a sense of guilt and considering saving food a positive lifestyle. The estimated annual environmental footprints caused by plate waste were considerable, mainly deriving from staple foods and meats.