Food Packaging — Emissions in United States

United States: Food Packaging — Emissions was 21,385 kt in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
21,385 kt
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
4th
of 145 countries
All-time high
51,393 kt
in 1997
All-time low
18,620 kt
in 2020
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Food Packaging — Emissions in United States, 1990–2023

020.0k40.0k60.0k1990200620231990: 36.8k kt1991: 43.9k kt1992: 36.2k kt1993: 34.8k kt1994: 32.9k kt1995: 49.4k kt1996: 49.6k kt1997: 51.4k kt1998: 41.2k kt1999: 39.5k kt2000: 42.4k kt2001: 41.3k kt2002: 31.0k kt2003: 31.2k kt2004: 31.1k kt2005: 30.3k kt2006: 29.2k kt2007: 30.5k kt2008: 30.3k kt2009: 25.8k kt2010: 26.9k kt2011: 25.4k kt2012: 24.0k kt2013: 23.3k kt2014: 25.5k kt2015: 24.7k kt2016: 24.0k kt2017: 20.4k kt2018: 19.5k kt2019: 18.8k kt2020: 18.6k kt2021: 20.7k kt2022: 21.4k kt2023: 21.4k kt

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.

Analysis

In 2023, food packaging — emissions in United States stood at 21,385 kt.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, food packaging — emissions in United States peaked at 51,393 kt in 1997 and was at its lowest, 18,620 kt, in 2020.

That places United States 4th out of 145 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.

Food Packaging — Emissions in United States, year by year

Annual values for Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2) in United States, 1990 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1990 36,804 kt
1991 43,930 kt +19.4%
1992 36,181 kt -17.6%
1993 34,789 kt -3.8%
1994 32,898 kt -5.4%
1995 49,364 kt +50.1%
1996 49,596 kt +0.5%
1997 51,393 kt +3.6%
1998 41,238 kt -19.8%
1999 39,490 kt -4.2%
2000 42,400 kt +7.4%
2001 41,259 kt -2.7%
2002 31,044 kt -24.8%
2003 31,207 kt +0.5%
2004 31,065 kt -0.5%
2005 30,288 kt -2.5%
2006 29,193 kt -3.6%
2007 30,489 kt +4.4%
2008 30,256 kt -0.8%
2009 25,791 kt -14.8%
2010 26,934 kt +4.4%
2011 25,440 kt -5.5%
2012 24,001 kt -5.7%
2013 23,308 kt -2.9%
2014 25,465 kt +9.3%
2015 24,716 kt -2.9%
2016 23,964 kt -3.0%
2017 20,446 kt -14.7%
2018 19,538 kt -4.4%
2019 18,841 kt -3.6%
2020 18,620 kt -1.2%
2021 20,732 kt +11.3%
2022 21,385 kt +3.1%
2023 21,385 kt +0.0%

United States compared with similar countries

  • United States's 21,385 kt is above the median for high income countries, which is 189.38 kt, 112.9× the median. (53 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Food Packaging — Emissions in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1995 +50.1% 32,898 kt 49,364 kt

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 41,568 kt 32,898 kt 51,393 kt 10
2000s 32,299 kt 25,791 kt 42,400 kt 10
2010s 23,265 kt 18,841 kt 26,934 kt 10
2020s 20,531 kt 18,620 kt 21,385 kt 4

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 1 China 95,897 kt compare
  2. 2 China, mainland 92,446 kt compare
  3. 3 OECD 69,267 kt compare
  4. 5 Russian Federation 12,362 kt compare
  5. 5 Russia 12,362 kt compare
  6. 7 Japan 7,223 kt compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More climate change data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is food packaging — emissions in United States?
Food packaging — emissions in United States was 21,385 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest food packaging — emissions recorded in United States?
The highest recorded value was 51,393 kt in 1997.
What is the lowest food packaging — emissions recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 18,620 kt in 2020.
How does United States rank for food packaging — emissions?
United States ranks 4th out of 145 countries with data for 2023.
Is food packaging — emissions rising or falling in United States?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United States data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Food Packaging — Emissions in United States. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/food-packaging-emissions-co2-fao-tier-1/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
178 places, 5,298 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions Totals summarizes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions disseminated in the FAOSTAT Climate Change domains of emissions from agrifood systems. Data are computed following the Tier 1 methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventories (IPCC, 1996; 1997; 2000; 2002; 2006; 2014). Emissions from other economic sectors as defined by the IPCC are also disseminated in the domain for completeness. Methodological details can be found at: https://files-faostat.fao.org/production/GT/GT_en.pdf