Food security and health impacts include increased malnutrition. Ability to utilize food might decrease where changes in climate are linked to increased disease spread. Climate change might impact food safety due to changes in pests and water pollution.

There is therefore a need to ensure blanket supplementary feeding is available where needed. Blanket assistance is faster and easier to implement and can reduce conflict within assisted populations. However, it reduces the capacity to reach more vulnerable people in other locations. Both approaches will have a different environmental impact which should be considered.

There can be many causes of malnutrition. However, all of them impact the environment and most of them are linked to environmental fragilities.

Eutrophication
Climate change
Loss of biodiversity and ecosystems
Natural resource depletion
Soil erosion
Noise pollution
Cultural acceptance
Impact on wellbeing / mental health
Increased drought/flood

• The distribution of supplementary feeding items can have negative effects on the environment, or expose affected people to environmental risks if activities are not well planned or the needs and behaviour of individuals and communities are not appropriately assessed. This can ultimately drive further subsequent malnutrition. When delivered items do not match with the cultural preferences of affected communities, items may be unused and may be discarded. Also, when items are used but the resulting waste is not properly managed by people accumulation of waste can occur in places that have limited waste management and recycling capabilities and wasted items can be disposed of by open burning, causing air pollution. Improper disposal and management of nutritional wastes can become a vector for disease to spread within communities.
• In addition, if foodstuffs provided for supplementary feeding require long periods of boiling or cooking, there will be an increase in fuel consumption and potentially deforestation, as well as associated protection risks with gathering fuel – although this depends on local conditions and types of fuel source.
• Air, water, and soil pollution can be caused by the accumulation of waste and spills from piled wasted items. Waste can be caused by the provision of items that are unfamiliar or unwanted. Accumulation of packaging may result in contamination of waters sources and end up in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. This can lead to disease spread and cause harm to flora, fauna, and ecosystems.
• Provision of blanket supplementary feeding can cause local or displaced unsustainable use of natural resources and unsustainable transport and logistics practices.

• While addressing the key issues associated with nutrition and good practices in nutrition, providing health advice on how the environmental determinants of health influence nutrition may also help people to address the factors that contribute to co-morbidities and compromised nutritional status.

• When the supplements come in powder, dry pills or as tablets, or as liquids, including oils, refill stations should be introduced when feasible, with appropriate awareness-raising on food hygiene and safety. Investigate the option of introducing refill stations where people can access periodic refill of products using the original distributed containers.
• When identifying and selecting items to procure, choose options with safe but low amounts of packaging that protect the items from external contaminants whilst packaging various components of a set as one unit versus individual units.
• Provide opportunities for people to hand back unwanted items. If supplements are to be taken home by beneficiaries, encourage beneficiaries to bring empty packaging back when they receive their next batch of supplements, to allow for the distributing agency to take charge of waste management and reduce open littering. Generally, the packaging of specialised foods and supplements cannot be recycled. If beneficiaries will not return for future consultations, provide advice on how to dispose of the packaging, including recycling options where these exist. If possible, try to tender for supplements that come in biodegradable or compostable packages, if these are available in the local market.
• Search for biodegradable options that can be safely and easily disposed of after use, or that are made from sustainable sources or using sustainable processes. However, while biodegradable materials avoid the risk of persistence that plastics present, the industry for effectively handling and composting these materials is not universally available and may not be cost-effective. In addition, biodegradable materials may not meet the durability standards required for certain types of assistance.
• The procurement and preparation of items can often be designed to reduce packaging or to substitute with packaging that is more environmentally friendly or reusable. Repurpose items that are shipped for the operations, for example, using bags to grow plants and using disappearing ink if branding is an issue. Reusing and repurposing can both reduce waste and create real value for beneficiaries of humanitarian assistance.