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Professor

Weslynne Ashton

Professor Weslynne Ashton is a sustainable systems scientist, whose research, teaching and practice are oriented around transitioning our socio-ecological systems towards sustainability and equity. She studies the adoption of socially and environmentally responsible strategies in business, and the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in addressing social and environmental challenges. Her research is grounded in industrial ecology and the circular economy. Her current work focuses on increasing sustainability and equity in urban food systems, and developing regenerative economies in post-industrial regions, newly industrializing countries and small island states.

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Contributor Brief·Weslynne Ashton · 1 article
Updated Sep 20, 2023

Regulatory misalignment is the hidden blocker in food waste solutions

Ashton argues that food waste reduction initiatives fail not due to lack of technology or corporate will, but because they operate in regulatory vacuums where local authorities lack alignment or enforcement capacity. She advocates for mandatory collaboration between industry and municipal regulators as the foundational prerequisite—not an afterthought—to any waste reduction strategy.

America's escalating food waste crisis

signals systemic failure, not isolated operational problems

“Local regulatory alignment emerges as the critical missing piece in efforts to combat food waste.”

To Reduce Food Waste, Collaboration and Partnerships with Local Regulators is a Must

Barriers to Food Waste Reduction Implementation

Local regulatory misalignment9
Lack of cross-sector collaboration8
Enforcement capacity gaps8

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36%Local regulatory
Local regulatory misalignment
Lack of cross-sector collaboration
Enforcement capacity gaps

1 critical factor

separates failed from successful waste reduction programs

Partnerships with local regulators must be structural, not transactional, to achieve measurable outcomes.

To Reduce Food Waste, Collaboration and Partnerships with Local Regulators is a Must

Without regulatory buy-in, even well-designed waste reduction infrastructure becomes obsolete.

To Reduce Food Waste, Collaboration and Partnerships with Local Regulators is a Must

“Collaboration with local regulators is not optional—it is the foundation.”

Themes:Regulatory alignment as competitive advantageStructural collaboration over transactional partnershipsInfrastructure fails without enforcement capacity

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