(Introduction):

The home is the link in the food chain that contributes the most to food waste in the world. In Chile, there are no data on the quantity and / or composition of the waste generated at the household level, and its environmental impact is unknown.

(Objectives):

Determine eco-efficiency as an indicator of the environmental impact of food waste, based on the calculation of its water footprint (HH), caloric intake and economic cost.

(Methodology):

Descriptive pilot study, carried out based on waste, obtained by recording and daily weighing, of 15 households of medium / low socio-economic level in Santiago, Chile. The wastes were categorized according to their origin, in vegetables and animals, and their water footprint, caloric intake and economic cost were determined, data used to calculate eco-efficiency (EE) according to three different equations.

(Results):

The total waste generated was 54.7 kg in one week, with vegetable products responsible for 80.9 % of the total. The caloric value was 65 028 kcal (1 141 kcal per person) while the economic cost reached $ 83 444 ($ 102.02 USD). The HH was de 11 2136.66, with animal products responsible for 67.8 % of the total. In EE calculations, the worst results were related to the amount of waste of animal origin.

(Conclusions):

Knowing the environmental impact of food waste at the household level in Chile is a fundamental step for the development of public policies or educational campaigns aimed at promoting sustainable consumption.