CLEAN YOUR PLATE

Americans Toss $640 in Food Each Year

15 percent don’t care about environmental impact.

A survey released Wednesday found Americans throw out about $640 worth of food annually, and most people don’t care about the environmental impact of food waste. The American Chemistry Council survey found that more than half of respondents repurpose leftovers for new meals, but 76 percent admitted to throwing away leftovers at least monthly. The waste in money bothered 79 percent, 45 percent felt bad because other people don’t have enough to eat, and just 15 percent said they were concerned about the environmental impact. Food waste makes up more than 20 percent of landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.