Work out your food waste to composting emissions
= 54.0 kg CO2e in 2026 (Scope 3)
Each tonne × 9.0069 kg CO2e, the 2026 UK government (DESNZ) factor.
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Food waste to composting emission factor by year
| Year | Scope 3 (kg CO2e per tonne) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9.0069 | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 8.9831 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 8.8839 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 8.9124 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8.9106 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 8.9507 | -12.3% |
| 2020 | 10.204 | 0.0% |
| 2019 | 10.204 | – |
Total kg CO2e for the seven greenhouse gases, from the official DESNZ files for each year. 2026 factor ID: 20_507_5291_15_1. Where a factor jumps sharply between two years, it is usually because DESNZ changed its method or data source, not because the activity itself changed.
Worked example
Take a business sending 6 tonnes of food waste to composting a year. 6 tonnes × 9.0069 kg CO2e = 0.05 tonnes CO2e, reported as Scope 3, category 5 (waste generated in operations).
How to report it
In the 2026 government factors, composting and anaerobic digestion of food waste carry the same factor, and both are far lower than sending food waste to landfill in general waste.
Waste is Scope 3 category 5, waste generated in operations, which PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plans must include.
Where the data comes from
You'll usually find it in your waste contractor's reports or waste transfer notes, in tonnes. Keep the source documents: anyone checking your Carbon Reduction Plan or SECR report may ask how each figure was worked out.
Read more about how the factors change each year in our guide to the 2026 conversion factors, or see how we apply them in our methodology.
Related emission factors
- Food waste to anaerobic digestion: 9.0069 kg CO2e per tonne
- Commercial waste to landfill: 520.58 kg CO2e per tonne
- Mixed paper and card recycling: 4.6536 kg CO2e per tonne
- All UK emission factors