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Costco: Waste Generation in 2021

Industry: Restaurant
Current: ESG

In 2021, Costco generated 1,373 thousand tonnes of total waste, an increase of 26% over 2020
Costco recycled 297 thousand tonnes of the total waste generated in 2021
Costco aims to divert 80% of waste generated within its global operations

Waste Management by Retail Sector

Retail waste management has been a perennial problem that haunts the retail industry. Not only does retail waste cost them money but it also causes serious environmental problems.

The most common types of retail waste include waste from packaging such as cardboard, plastics, papers, fillers, and general waste from customers. Discarded packaging and shipping materials are just the beginning of retail waste disposal problems. Returning items to the retailer or manufacturer produces a lot of waste since the original packaging just goes back to its origin.

Waste Management by Costco

Costco Wholesale Corp (Costco) owns and operates a chain of membership warehouses. These warehouses are primarily involved in offering various products such as groceries, candy, appliances, television and media, tires, toys, hardware, automotive supplies, sporting goods, jewelry, watches, garden and patio, tickets, health and beauty aids, housewares, apparel, furniture, office supplies, domestics, postage at various competitive prices as compared to other wholesalers and retailers.

Total waste generated by Costco was 1,373 thousand tonnes in 2021, an increase of 26% over 2020. The company generates food waste and non-food waste which includes cardboard, shrink-wrap, scrap metal, mixed plastic, etc. Costco disposed of 297 thousand tonnes of waste in landfill or incinerated during the period. The company recycled 78% of its waste in 2021, an increase of 2 percentage points over 2020.

Costco has set a target to divert 80% of waste generated within its global operations. The company defines waste diversion as the total tonnes of waste that is not directly dumped into landfill sites or burned at incineration facilities that do not create energy.

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