This is the fallout from pandemic-time food hoarding
A B.C. archeologist says garbology, otherwise known as the study of trash, can offer unique insights into how we live, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“(Our trash) tells us that we're very wasteful. Often, we don't pay enough attention to what we really consume and throw away,” Bob Muckle, an archeologist and instructor of anthropology at Capilano University in B.C., told CTV’s Your Morning on Thursday.
Muckle and his colleagues have been studying COVID-19-related waste in the Vancouver area. Through their Twitter account @Covidarchaeology, they’ve been documenting everything from discarded masks to pandemic-inspired art in the city.
Muckle has also been involved in conducting annual waste audits at Capilano University, looking into the kind of trash that people throw away on campus, as well as the placement and signage regarding garbage receptacles.
“We look at a number of different things, but the most interesting to me is just what it tells us about human behaviour,” Muckle said.
When COVID-19 first hit, Muckle says it led to a surge in people ordering food for takeout and delivery, which in turn resulted in more plastic waste.
“We've certainly seen that in residential trash, especially as a lot of recycling programs stopped,” he said. “We're seeing a significant increase in packaging for food and all the deliveries we get from Amazon and others. An enormous amount of packaging is now entering the archeological record of 2022.”
Pandemic-induced panic buying at the grocery store also resulted in more households hoarding food, leading to more food waste, Muckle says.
“When there’s any kind of threat on food security… people will just go to Costco or wherever and overbuy and then three or four months down the road, they're going to toss all that stuff out,” he explained.
“We're very wasteful as a species, especially in North America, and it's only going to get worse.”
RISKIN REPORTS
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Brown alleges political corruption over Conservative leadership disqualification
Patrick Brown is alleging political corruption played a role in his disqualification from the Conservative Party of Canada's leadership race, a move that came following allegations that his campaign violated election financing rules.

Conservative party not printing new ballots despite Patrick Brown's disqualification
Despite being disqualified by the Conservative Party of Canada from becoming its next leader, ousted candidate Patrick Brown's name will still appear on the ballot.
Intense video shows worker dangling from crane at Toronto construction site
Video has emerged showing a worker dangling in the air above a Toronto construction site after accidently getting entangled in a tagline attached to a crane.
Air Canada, Pearson again rank No. 1 in delays worldwide; Montreal check-in freezes
Air Canada and Toronto's Pearson airport again claimed the top spots for flight delays on Tuesday, marking at least four days in a row where the country's biggest airline has placed No. 1 of any large carrier worldwide.
Air Canada temporarily bans pets from baggage hold over delays
Air Canada said on Wednesday it will not allow animals in the baggage hold until Sept. 12 due to 'longer than usual' delays at airports, as carriers and airports wrestle with complaints over lost luggage and long lines.
Planning a road trip? Here's how to save money on gas this summer
As gas prices slightly trend down this week after some of the highest national averages seen in recent months, some Canadians may be thinking twice before planning their usual summer road trip plans. CTVNews.ca looks at how drivers can save at the pumps while travelling.
OPINION | How much of a mortgage can I afford in Canada?
Prices have been easing slightly recently, but affording a mortgage is still a very difficult task for many Canadians. How much of a mortgage can you afford? Contributor Christopher Liew breaks it down in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
'Most stressful experience': Express Entry draws resume, but long waits take toll
Canada's immigration department is restarting all Express Entry draws for immigration applications Wednesday, after pausing the program 18 months ago during the pandemic.
Ex-'Cheer' star Harris gets 12 years for seeking photos, sex from minors
A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series 'Cheer,' to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions.