--- title: How much waste material is produced by modern foods, and are there any associated environmental risks? description: A major benefit of Precision Fermentation and Cellular Agriculture (PFCA) waste reduction when compared to animal agriculture. One early study estimates that a product made using PF generates 92% fewer pollutants than a comparable animal product. --- [![Rething X_SubNav_Food](https://www.rethinkx.com/hubfs/Rething%20X_SubNav_Food.svg) ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture) In-depth [ Food-as-Software ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/food-as-software) [ Precision Fermentation Overview ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/precision-fermentation) [ Precision Fermentation Periodic Table ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/precision-fermentation/periodic-table) [ Science of Precision Fermentation ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/precision-fermentation/science) [ History of Precision Fermentation ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/precision-fermentation/history) [ Precision Fermentation & the Dairy Disruption ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/precision-fermentation/dairy) [ Future of Precision Fermentation ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/precision-fermentation/future) [ Videos ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/videos) [ Reports ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/reports) [ FAQ ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/tag/food-agriculture) [ In the News ](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-the-news) [ Blogs ](https://www.rethinkx.com/blog/tag/food-agriculture) ###### share [![linkedin](https://www.rethinkx.com/hubfs/rethinkx_2023/icons/linkedin.svg) ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-much-waste-material-is-produced-by-modern-foods-and-are-there-any-associated-environmental-risks) [![twitterx](https://www.rethinkx.com/hubfs/rethinkx_2023/icons/twitterx.svg) ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-much-waste-material-is-produced-by-modern-foods-and-are-there-any-associated-environmental-risks) [![facebook](https://www.rethinkx.com/hubfs/rethinkx_2023/icons/facebook.svg) ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-much-waste-material-is-produced-by-modern-foods-and-are-there-any-associated-environmental-risks) [![email](https://www.rethinkx.com/hubfs/rethinkx_2023/icons/email.svg) ](mailto:?subject=%20RethinkX%20&body=%20Hi%20there,%20Check%20out%20this:%20https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-much-waste-material-is-produced-by-modern-foods-and-are-there-any-associated-environmental-risks) ## How much waste material is produced by modern foods, and are there any associated environmental risks? [RethinkX](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/author/admin)  |  6 May 2024 #### A major benefit of [Precision Fermentation (PF)](https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture/in-depth/precision-fermentation) and Cellular Agriculture (CA) is waste reduction when compared to animal agriculture. One early study estimates that a product made using PF generates 92% fewer pollutants than a comparable animal product. The exact composition of waste products varies greatly among fermentation processes, but typically it includes spent microbial biomass and wastewater. If the microbes-usually funghi, bacteria or algae-are not part of the end product, they are disposed of or used in other ways, such as fertilizer, animal feed or materials. Most of the waste from the facility will be wastewater that can initially be treated onsite before being released into municipal waterways. Studies have shown that certain kinds of fermentation waste can even be used to remediate waterways. There is no risk of gene transfer from inert genetically modified microbes to natural ones. ### **Explore the evidence...** - **One early study estimates that a product made using PF generates 92% fewer pollutants than a comparable animal product.** Industrial livestock operations produce hundreds of millions of tons of manure every year, which contribute to a number of environmental and human health impacts. By contrast, there is no manure created by modern food production because there are no animals involved in the process. [Learn more about the environmental implications of the modern food disruption on p51–54 of our Rethinking Food and Agriculture report, with waste discussed on p52.](https://www.rethinkx.com/publications/rethinkingfoodandagriculture2019.en) - [Read our Rethinking Climate report, to understand the environmental benefits of technologies like PF and CA](https://www.rethinkx.com/publications/rethinkingclimatechange2021.en) ### **Witness the transformation** We are on the cusp of the deepest, fastest, most consequential disruption in food and agricultural production since the first domestication of plants and animals 10,000 years ago. [Learn more about the social, economic and geo-political implications, and more on the transformation of the food and agriculture disruption](https://learn.rethinkx.com/knowledgebase/food-and-agriculture-disruption) ***Published on: 12/07/23*** ### Continue exploring Food & Agriculture [6 May 2024 #### Myth: Modern foods will not contain the same micro- and macro-nutrients as animal foods Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/myth-modern-foods-will-not-contain-the-same-micro-and-macro-nutrients-as-animal-foods) [6 May 2024 #### How does Precision Fermentation and Cellular Agriculture water use compare to the animal agriculture it will replace? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-does-precision-fermentation-and-cellular-agriculture-water-use-compare-to-the-animal-agriculture-it-will-replace) [6 May 2024 #### Why aren’t other modern food technologies disruptive in the same way that Precision Fermentation is? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/why-arent-other-modern-food-technologies-disruptive-in-the-same-way-that-precision-fermentation-is) [6 May 2024 #### How much energy do Precision Fermentation and Cellular Agriculture require? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-much-energy-do-precision-fermentation-and-cellular-agriculture-require) [6 May 2024 #### How can we avoid large-scale corporate control of these technologies? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-can-we-avoid-large-scale-corporate-control-of-these-technologies) [6 May 2024 #### What if I never want to give up my meat? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/what-if-i-never-want-to-give-up-my-meat) [6 May 2024 #### What will happen to all the cows? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/what-will-happen-to-all-the-cows) [6 May 2024 #### How can we avoid a sudden transition to the modern food system that could threaten the livelihoods of subsistence and artisan farmers and others that work in food production? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/how-can-we-avoid-a-sudden-transition-to-the-modern-food-system-that-could-threaten-the-livelihoods-of-subsistence-and-artisan-farmers-and-others) [6 May 2024 #### Where will Precision Fermentation and Cellular Agriculture technologies be most suited geographically? Learn more ](https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/where-will-precision-fermentation-and-cellular-agriculture-technologies-be-most-suited-geographically) [6 May 2024 #### How much will the energy for Precision Fermentation and Cellular Agriculture cost? 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