One sixth of meat worldwide wasted; 18 billion animals per year: Dutch researchers

Of all the meat produced in the world each year, about one-sixth ends up as waste. This amounts to 18 billion chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, and cows, according to researchers from Leiden University, as reported on the university's website.

Out of all the food that ends up in the trash, approximately 52.4 million tons consist of boneless and edible meat, the researchers said.

The causes of meat wastage vary, explained researcher Juliane Klaura. For example, some animals die before slaughter or meat spoils during storage or transportation. Stores also often overstock, restaurants leave uneaten food, and households discard food.

Reducing meat production, Klaura suggested, would be better for both animals and the climate. According to UN data, as much as 14.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to livestock, the researchers noted. Animal suffering is "harder to quantify in numbers and percentages,” she remarked.

There is no single solution to reduce meat wastage. "In developing countries, it will be more about improving conditions for animals and the storage and transport of meat," said the researcher, who believes that in Western countries, behavior change could make a difference.