Marcolin For The Environment

Every year, hundreds of thousands of tons of fruit and vegetables pass through Italian wholesale markets, and every day between 4% and 5% ends up as waste. These are perfectly edible products that remain unsold due to aesthetic imperfections, non-standard sizes, or damaged packaging. In practical terms, this means that around 500 kilos of fruits and vegetables are discarded every day, generating waste that also contributes to the climate crisis. Not only does it nullify the natural resources used to produce this food, but its disposal is responsible for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

On June 5th, World Environment Day, the People Wavers invited Marcolin colleagues to actively fight food waste by taking part in a volunteering day at the Milan wholesale fruit and vegetable market, alongside Recup, the association that works in Milan and Rome to recover and redistribute surplus food. Thanks to Recup, at the Milan wholesale market alone, 8 tons of fruits and vegetables are distributed every week to organizations such as Caritas, the Italian Red Cross, IBVA, Opera Cardinal Ferrari, and many others, which support around 17,000 people in need every day.

Participants experienced a day dedicated to sustainability and solidarity in Italy’s largest wholesale market. According to the data shared by Recup, among the stalls of 110 wholesalers and 81 producers, in just three hours approximately 1,570 kilos of unsold fruits and vegetables were collected, with an estimated value of around €4,600. This also resulted in savings of 1.3 tons of CO₂ emissions and 7,600 cubic meters of water. The recovered food was then weighed, sorted, and divided into crates at the association’s headquarters, ultimately supporting 561 people. A great result for a project that benefits others, the planet, and the heart.