Resource management: Addressing food waste and paper recycling

Global and local resource management challenges are highlighted through the lenses of food waste and paper recycling. According to WWF data, approximately 40% of food produced worldwide—roughly 2.5 billion tons annually—is wasted. In Poland, the average person discards 126 kg of food per year, with 92 kg originating from households, resulting in an estimated annual loss of 3,000 PLN per family.

Regarding paper recycling, cellulose fibers can typically be recycled 5 to 7 times before they become too short to maintain structure. However, corrugated cardboard and wood-based packaging are more resilient, capable of being recycled over 25 times without significant mechanical degradation. When fibers can no longer be used for paper products, they are repurposed into egg cartons, wrapping paper, or compost, while remaining impurities are often converted into thermal energy for heating.