Harry Hayman on Food Waste Innovation: Transforming Trash into Treasure for Health, Climate, and Community
This Is What Real Innovation Looks Like
When Harry Hayman calls food waste upcycling “what real innovation looks like,” he’s distinguishing authentic systemic solutions from green washing gimmicks. As Philadelphia’s food security leader through the Feed Philly Coalition and Senior Fellow at the Economy League, Harry has witnessed how food waste undermines both environmental sustainability and community nutrition simultaneously.
New research from Afyon Kocatepe University demonstrates what Harry advocates: the future of nutrition isn’t just growing more food but using what we have better. Scientists transform food waste into high-value nutritional supplements, functional ingredients, probiotic compounds, and sustainable materials using ultrasound extraction, microwave processing, and microbial fermentation.
For Harry, whose work addresses Philadelphia’s 210,000+ food insecure residents, this connects everything: climate goals, public health, circular economies, local economic development, and feeding people with dignity.
The Crisis: 1.16 Billion Tons of Wasted Opportunity
According to research Earth.com reports, in 2022, retail, food service, and households wasted 1.16 billion tons of food globally. Households alone accounted for 696 million tons. Approximately one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted yearly, contributing 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Harry’s food rescue work reveals the bitter irony: massive food quantities are discarded while neighbors go hungry. Even non-edible portions like peels, pulp, and shells carry valuable antioxidants and nutrients straight to trash.
The Science: From Waste to Nutritional Value
Dr. Aslihan Tugen’s team reviewed techniques extracting nutrients from scraps:
- Ultrasound Extraction: Sound waves rupture plant tissues, releasing compounds while protecting sensitive antioxidants
- Microwave Processing: Rapid heating loosens cell walls, reducing solvent use and processing time
- Microbial Fermentation: Bacteria convert sugars into acids and enzymes, increasing bioactivity
- Probiotic Enhancement: Pairing extracts with beneficial microbes stabilizes compounds and adds gut health benefits
These methods recover phenolic compounds, antioxidants, proteins, and fibers typically lost in traditional waste handling.
Real Applications: What Innovation Produces
Recovered compounds reentering supply chains create:
- Functional Food Ingredients: Bread trials using onion waste extracts increased antioxidant activity
- Nutraceuticals: Health-promoting supplements from fruit peels, vegetable pulp
- Biodegradable Packaging: Materials replacing petroleum-based plastics
- Animal Feed: Nutrient-dense alternatives to conventional ingredients
- Cosmetics: Coffee grounds, fruit peels upcycled into beauty products
StartUs Insights reports companies like Atomo Coffee produce beanless coffee from upcycled date pits and grape skins, while Kaffe Bueno converts coffee waste into cosmetic ingredients.
Philadelphia Application: Harry Hayman’s Local Vision
Harry’s evergreen food security solution for Philadelphia emphasizes using existing infrastructure better. Food waste upcycling fits perfectly:
Institutional Procurement Connection: Hospitals, schools, correctional facilities generating food waste could partner with processing facilities creating nutritional supplements or functional ingredients, keeping economic value local.
Small Business Development: Supporting diverse entrepreneurs in food waste processing creates jobs while addressing sustainability, exactly what Harry advocates through Economy League work.
Community Health Impact: Recovering nutrients from waste streams produces supplements accessible to food insecure populations, connecting environmental and nutritional goals.
Local Economic Circulation: Processing waste locally rather than exporting for disposal keeps dollars circulating through Philadelphia’s economy.
The Economic Case: Markets Accelerating Rapidly
According to market analysis, the global products from food waste market reaches USD 1.2 billion in 2026, projected to hit USD 2.6 billion by 2036 at 8% CAGR. Animal feed leads with 18% market share, expanding at 6.3% CAGR. Key product categories gaining scale include:
- Upcycled food ingredients for food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics
- Animal feed and additives
- Sustainable packaging materials
- Bio-based chemicals and agricultural inputs
Government mandates on waste reduction, landfill diversion, and emissions control accelerate commercial adoption. Companies combining sustainability narratives with measurable performance benefits gain market visibility.
Circular Economy Framework: Designing Waste Out
UNDP’s circular economy approach emphasizes food loss and waste must be designed out of systems, by-products transformed at highest value, and production improving rather than degrading environments.
Harry’s work embodies this through:
Prevention First: Sharing Excess rescues 40,000 pounds used by Double Trellis Food Initiative, preventing waste while feeding communities.
Valorization Second: When prevention fails, recovering nutritional value through upcycling maximizes resource use.
Composting Last: Remaining materials return nutrients to soil, closing loops.
Making It Local: Harry Hayman’s Radical Proposal
Harry’s statement “make throwing food out illegal” reflects understanding that voluntary approaches haven’t worked. Several jurisdictions have implemented mandatory food waste diversion:
- Vermont: Banned food waste from landfills since 2020
- California: Requires organic waste recycling statewide
- European Union: Multiple member states mandate commercial food waste separation
These policies create reliable feedstock streams justifying processing infrastructure investments. For Philadelphia, Harry envisions similar mandates coupled with:
Processing Infrastructure: Local facilities transforming waste into products Business Incentives: Supporting entrepreneurs building upcycling enterprises Institutional Partnerships: Coordinating waste streams from major generators Workforce Development: Training residents for circular economy jobs
Health, Climate, Economics: The Triple Win
Food waste upcycling delivers simultaneous benefits across dimensions Harry’s work integrates:
Climate Impact: According to research, food waste in landfills produces methane accounting for up to 10% of global emissions. Upcycling redirects materials from landfills, dramatically reducing methane while recovering value.
Public Health: Nutritional supplements and functional ingredients recovered from waste improve dietary quality, particularly for communities lacking access to fresh whole foods. This directly addresses Philadelphia’s food apartheid affecting communities of color disproportionately.
Economic Development: Circular economy approaches create jobs in collection, processing, product development, and distribution. Supporting small and diverse businesses in these sectors builds community wealth.
Real Change Requires System Transformation
Harry’s call for “real change” and “doing the right thing” acknowledges that technical innovations alone won’t transform food systems. Required elements include:
Regulatory Frameworks: Mandating waste diversion while supporting compliant businesses Infrastructure Investment: Public and private capital building processing facilities Market Development: Creating demand for upcycled products through institutional procurement Workforce Training: Preparing communities for circular economy employment Consumer Education: Building acceptance of upcycled products
Conclusion: From Talk to Action
Harry Hayman’s excitement about food waste innovation stems from recognizing it addresses multiple crises simultaneously while creating economic opportunity. Unlike abstract sustainability concepts, food waste upcycling produces tangible results: fewer emissions, better nutrition, local jobs, resource conservation.
His emphasis on local implementation matters. Global markets and technologies mean little if Philadelphia lacks infrastructure transforming its own waste streams. Harry’s vision involves Philadelphia leading through:
Mandatory waste diversion policies Local processing infrastructure Institutional procurement commitments Small business support Community engagement
This represents the authentic innovation Harry celebrates: science-backed solutions connecting health, sustainability, and economics while serving communities experiencing food insecurity.
Read the full research at Earth.com
The future of food isn’t just about production. It’s about transformation, circulation, and ensuring nothing valuable goes to waste while people go hungry. That’s real innovation. That’s doing the right thing.