By
Teresa Mersereau

Papayas are a soft, sweet fruit native to Mexico. Today, they are grown everywhere from Florida to Hawaii. Papayas are also highly versatile. For example, they are commonly used in salads, desserts, and ice creams. But papayas can also have many unethical and unsustainable properties in their production process. So we had to ask: Is eating papayas ethical and sustainable?

In this article, we will assess both the ethical and sustainability practices of the papaya industry. Through these two lenses, you will be able to gain in-depth knowledge of the overall impacts of the papayas that you eat!

Here’s How We Assessed the Ethics & Sustainability of Papayas

The Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) is one of the ways we measure the externalities of our actions, like the consumption of papayas. It is a holistic assessment based on the potential impact of food and agriculture operations on the environment and people. Those impacts are changes in our environment that can have adverse effects on the air, land, water, fish, and wildlife or the inhabitants of the ecosystem.

“Ethical: The discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right and wrong”

Encyclopedia Britannica

Ethics and sustainability are closely interconnected concepts that share a common objective: the well-being and preservation of our planet, including all its life and future generations.

“Sustainable: The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level | Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”

Oxford Dictionary

Basically, all goods and services you buy—including papayas—leave an impact on people, animals, and our environment. And when it comes to food in general—and papayas in specific—the following are key factors for their ethics and sustainability:

• Social and economic conditions: The ethics of food crucially depends on the social and economic conditions of the farmers who grow them. Especially on fair labor practices, including fair wages and safe working conditions.
• Seasonality: Eating seasonally is a lever of sustainability. The two key reasons are that seasonal food is more likely grown in their “natural growing season” without using greenhouses, and also more likely to be grown locally.
• Land requirements: Large parts of the world that were once covered by forests and wildlands are now used for agriculture. 10 million hectares of forest are destroyed annually and 50% of the world’s habitable land is now used for agriculture. This loss of natural habitat has been the main driver for reducing the world’s biodiversity. 
• Water footprint: 70% of global freshwater is now used for agricultural purposes. By assessing the water footprint of a particular food, we can determine how our limited freshwater resources are being consumed and polluted.
• Pesticide and fertilizer usage: Pesticides and fertilizers provide a range of agricultural benefits. However, numerous studies link pesticides and fertilizers to serious effects on human health, along with disruptions to vital ecosystems and the spread of aquatic dead zones.
• Carbon footprint: The carbon footprint is one of the ways we measure the effects of our human-induced global climate change. Today, food production accounts for over a quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Waste generation: Food and its packaging account for almost 45% of the materials landfilled in the US alone. And packaging sent to landfills, especially when made from plastics, does not degrade quickly or, in some cases, at all.

To understand the overall environmental impact of papayas, we must assess each of their key factors. This Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) is a tool developed for assessing the impact of food and agriculture operations on the environment and people. And this tool helps us to evaluate whether eating papayas is ethical & sustainable.

Here’s How Ethical & Sustainable Eating Papayas Is

The overall ethics & sustainability of papayas is fairly low. The papaya industry participates in unethical practices such as chemical hazards for workers and unsustainable practices such as deforestation, nitrogen fertilizers, and styrofoam packaging. 

Papayas do have some good qualities when it comes to ethics and sustainability. For example, they have fairly economical land usage and don’t use a significant amount of pesticides. However, the rest of their production process is still fairly unsustainable. 

So, let’s have a look at the ethics & sustainability impact of each key factor of papayas!

Key Assessment Factors	Ethics & Sustainability
Social and economic conditions of papayas	Papayas’ social and economic conditions are fairly bad. The industry has engaged in some harmful labor practices like stagnating wages, exposure to chemicals, and child labor (in the Ivory Coast).
Seasonality of papayas	Papayas’ seasonality is somewhat the same all year round, meaning that they have to be imported from Mexico all year.
Land requirements for papayas	Papayas’ land requirements are fairly low. However, their use of monoculture farming and involvement with deforestation in the Amazon is very unsustainable.
Water footprint of papayas	Papayas’ water requirements are high at 50–100 inches of water per year. Because of where they grow in Mexico, they need a significant amount of irrigation to satisfy this requirement.
Agrochemical usage for papayas	Papayas’ agrochemical use is moderate. Their pesticide use may be low, but their use of nitrogen fertilizer is particularly unsustainable.
Carbon footprint of papayas	Papayas have a moderate carbon footprint of 0.3kg (0.67lb) of CO2e per pound of papayas. This is mainly because of their refrigerated shipping from Mexico, use of styrofoam packaging, high irrigation requirements, and low composting rates.
Waste generation of papayas	Papayas’ waste generation is very high. This is mostly because they use styrofoam packaging and have low composting rates.

These are the overall summaries, but there is a lot more to the story. In the next few sections, we will dive deeper into each stage to illustrate to you all the important aspects of papayas’ ethics & sustainability.

How Ethical & Sustainable Are the Social and Economic Conditions for Papayas

Papayas’ social and economic conditions are fairly bad. The industry has engaged in some harmful labor practices like stagnating wages, exposure to chemicals, and child labor (in the Ivory Coast). 

Everything we consume was made or harvested by somebody. In past centuries, this was often someone who lived in your community and who you might have even known personally. But through the rise of globalized distribution systems, we have become increasingly alienated from the people who make our food. This leaves a lot of room for exploitation and abuse, both of which are rampant in the food industry. Here, we will look at how the papaya industry fares in relation to these ethical questions.

How ethical & sustainable are the social and economic conditions of growing papayas?

• Are farmers paid fair wages to grow papayas: Jamaican papaya farmers have reported stagnating wages that have not caught up with inflation. This means that many papaya workers feel like they are in a worsening financial situation. 
• How safe are the working conditions to grow papayas: Accounts have indicated that some papaya workers have inadequate gloves to protect their hands, leading to significant cuts and blisters which put many out of work for days on end. There are also reports of workers being exposed to hazardous chemicals, even consuming water stored alongside pesticides. These hazards indicate that conditions on papaya farms can be hazardous to the health of workers. 
• Are there reports of child or forced labor to grow papayas: Papayas have been included on a list of fruits that use child labor, particularly in the Ivory Coast. Hazardous work is technically illegal for those under the age of 18 in the Ivory Coast, but as many as 200,000 children in the country still engage in hazardous labor. As many as 168 million children are forced into labor worldwide and are a part of almost every major industry, predominantly agriculture. 
• What is the wider economic impact on the communities that grow papayas: Some Jamaican papaya farmers have reported that the low wages and difficult economic system mean they are effectively stuck in papaya farming. This, mixed with some of the safety concerns associated with papaya farming means that some papaya farmers feel trapped in an unsafe and difficult situation. 

In short, the papaya industry’s participation in some seriously unethical practices, such as child labor (in the Ivory Coast), low wages, and inadequate safety precautions for workers means that they are a fairly unethical fruit. 

How Ethical & Sustainable Are the Seasonality for Papayas

Papayas’ seasonality is somewhat the same year round, meaning that they have to be imported from Mexico all year. 

Every fruit has a natural season in which they grow, usually lasting a couple of months, which can range depending on the region. However, international demand for every kind of fruit is year-round. This demand is often met by importing fruits from tropical places which can grow year-round, or by growing them in greenhouses. Both of these methods use more resources and are thus less sustainable than conventional farming. Here, we will look at how the papaya industry accommodates year-round demand.

How ethical & sustainable is it to grow papayas in-season vs out-of-season?

• When is the natural season for growing and harvesting papayas: Indian papayas are in season between August and November. However, most American-consumed papayas are grown in Mexico, where papayas are in season year-round. 
• How are papayas naturally grown in-season: Papayas grow on trees and can start producing fruit in the first year of growth, as early as 7 months after planting. In Mexico, there is no real season for papayas, and so they need to be exported to the US year-round. This means that they are somewhat unsustainable all year. 
• How are papayas grown out-of-season: Papayas in Mexico don’t have an off-season. They are grown all year round, so there is no difference between on-season and off-season growth processes in terms of sustainability.

In short, papayas’ seasonality does not greatly affect their sustainability level in the US, remaining moderately unsustainable year-round because of imports. 

How Ethical & Sustainable Are the Land Requirements for Papayas

Papayas’ land requirements are fairly low. However, their use of monoculture farming and involvement with deforestation in the Amazon is very unsustainable. 

The growth stage has a major impact on fruits’ sustainability. The amount of land used, especially in relation to its expansion, the method with which they are grown, and their effect on surrounding land and wildlife are all important factors. In this section, we will look at the ways in which papayas’ land usage affects their sustainability.

How ethical & sustainable are the land requirements for growing papayas?

• What is the land usage of papayas: Papayas yield around 60–75 tons per hectare. This is on the high end amongst fruits. Papayas are only overshadowed by bananas and pineapples, which can both yield up to 100 tons per hectare. Their high growth yield means that papayas use land very economically and so their land use is fairly sustainable.
• Where and how are papayas grown: Most papayas are grown in India on a global scale. However, they are also grown in Mexico, especially for the US market. Papayas grow on small trees in subtropical climates. These trees have excellent carbon sequestering properties. When trees sequester carbon, they essentially capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the ground, reducing the amount of carbon in the air. This is very good for papayas’ carbon footprint, which makes them more sustainable. 
• How does the growing of papayas affect soil fertility and erosion: Papaya farming has caused significant damage to soils, mainly through their use of irrigation and fertilization. Both irrigation and certain fertilizers can cause serious damage to things like soil fertility.
• How does the papaya industry affect the loss of habitable land: Though India is the biggest producer of papayas, there is still a significant amount produced in Brazil. Brazil is home to the Amazon rainforest, one of the largest carbon sinks in the world. So, this area is particularly vulnerable to deforestation, especially due to agriculture. Papayas have been identified as one of the drivers of current Amazon deforestation, meaning their cultivation actively contributes to one of the most notorious deforestation zones on the planet. 
• How does the papaya industry affect wildlife and biodiversity: The wildlife of the Amazon have been seriously harmed by agricultural deforestation. Papayas are also grown in monocultures, which are particularly harmful to biodiversity. The shorter pollination times within monoculture farms mean that pollinators like bees and butterflies are malnourished throughout the year. Papayas’ use of monoculture farming, as well as their cultivation on former rainforest land means they have a very negative impact on wildlife and biodiversity. 

In short, the papaya industry engages in some fairly unsustainable activities, such as their contribution to Amazon deforestation. However, their land use is relatively low. 

How Ethical & Sustainable Is the Water Footprint of Papayas

Papayas’ water requirements are high at 50–100 inches of water per year. Because of where they grow in Mexico, they need a significant amount of irrigation to satisfy this requirement. 

Water usage is one of the most important factors in a fruit’s sustainability. Practices like irrigation use significant resources and can cause pollution, and as such, factors like the amount of water used, where it is sourced, as well as the way they affect the water sources around them, are all important. Here, we will look at these different angles of papayas’ water footprint.

How ethical & sustainable is the water footprint of growing papayas?

• What is the overall water usage of papayas: Papayas need 50–100 inches of water per year. This is a fairly high water usage amongst fruits. For example, cherries only need around 35 inches of water per year. Therefore, papayas’ water footprint is considerably high. 
• What is the green water footprint of papayas: The green water footprint is the amount of water from precipitation stored in the soil and used by plants for growth. Most papayas consumed in the US are grown in Mexico, which only gets around 28 inches of rain per year. This does not cover papayas’ water requirement, which means that the vast majority of rainfall in the area will go towards papaya growth. Thus, their green water footprint is high. 
• What is the blue water footprint of papayas: The blue water footprint is the amount of water sourced from surface (such as rivers or lakes) or groundwater resources. Since Mexicos’ annual rainfall is lower than the amount they need to grow, papayas will require significant irrigation. Therefore, papayas have a very high blue water footprint. 
• What is the gray water footprint of papayas: The gray water footprint is the amount of freshwater required to clean up water pollution to meet certain quality standards. Essentially, it’s the amount of water needed to make polluted water clean enough to be safe and healthy for humans and the environment. Papayas use very few pesticides and so very little water is needed to clean up their pollution. For this reason, papayas have a very low gray water footprint. 
• How does the papaya industry affect freshwater and ocean pollution: Irrigation has a very negative environmental impact, mainly due to disturbing groundwater balance and causing oversalination. 

In short, papayas’ high use of irrigation means their water sustainability is fairly low, even though they don’t use a high amount of pesticides. 

How Ethical & Sustainable Is the Agrochemical Usage for Papayas

Papayas’ agrochemical use is moderate. Their pesticide use may be low, but their use of nitrogen fertilizer is particularly unsustainable.

Pesticides and fertilizers are agrochemicals that are very unsustainable and damaging to ecosystems. This is because they require resources to create and can easily run off into groundwater and soil systems. Here, we will look at how sustainable papayas’ pesticide and fertilizer rates really are.

How ethical & sustainable is the agrochemical usage of growing papayas?

• What is the pesticide usage of papayas: Papayas use a very low amount of pesticides. Because of this, they avoid many of the significantly unsustainable qualities of pesticides. 
• What is the fertilizer usage of papayas: Papayas primarily use nitrogen fertilizer in their growth process. Nitrogen is one of the more damaging fertilizers, meaning that papayas are fairly unsustainable in this area. 
• Are there any known issues connected to the agrochemical usage for papayas: Nitrogen fertilizer has several major issues associated with it. One of its biggest issues is the promotion of invasive algae growth, which can harm many kinds of aquatic life.

In short, the fact that papayas are fertilized with nitrogen is very unsustainable, despite the fact that their pesticide usage is very low.

How Ethical & Sustainable Is the Carbon Footprint of Papayas

Papayas have a moderate carbon footprint of 0.3kg (0.67lb) of CO₂e per pound of papayas. This is mainly because of their refrigerated shipping from Mexico, use of styrofoam packaging, high irrigation requirements, and low composting rates. 

Carbon footprint is one aspect of the overall sustainability of a fruit. It essentially measures how much carbon or other greenhouse gasses the production of fruits emits into the atmosphere. Emissions from product manufacturing, irrigation, transportation fuel, and landfills all add up to create the overall carbon footprint of a fruit. Let’s see how the carbon footprint of papayas contributes to their overall sustainability.

How ethical & sustainable is the carbon footprint of papayas?

• What is the overall carbon footprint of papayas: The overall carbon footprint of papayas is 0.3kg (0.67lb) of CO₂e per pound of papayas. This means that for every pound of papayas produced, 0.3kg of carbon (or carbon-equivalent gasses) is released into the atmosphere. This is a fairly average carbon footprint compared to other fruits. 
• What are the main contributors to the carbon footprint of papayas: The main factors that contribute to papayas’ carbon footprint are the use of styrofoam packaging, international refrigerated shipping, and their high irrigation needs. 
• Which life-cycle stage of papayas has the highest carbon footprint: The stage that contributes the most to papayas’ carbon footprint is waste management. This is mainly because they use styrofoam packaging, which is notoriously hard to recycle. They also have low composting rates for their food waste.

In short, papayas’ use of refrigerated shipping, styrofoam packaging, and excessive irrigation all combine to create a significant carbon footprint for papayas. 

How Ethical & Sustainable Is the Waste Generation of Papayas

Papayas’ waste generation is very high. This is mostly because they use styrofoam packaging and have low composting rates. 

When fruit waste, either in the form of packaging or organic materials, is disposed of, it can cause a lot of problems. Whether it’s damaging wildlife, getting into oceans, emitting methane, or dissolving into microplastics that contaminate groundwater, all these materials have their part to play. The sheer amount of waste we produce is reaching a crisis point and won’t be able to continue much longer. In this section, we will look at how sustainable papayas’ waste generation is.

How ethical & sustainable is the waste generation of papayas?

• What is the packaging of papayas: Papayas are generally packaged using cardboard for the boxes and styrofoam for the cushioned sleeves. Cardboard has a negative environmental impact during its manufacturing process, mainly by contributing to deforestation. Styrofoam also has a negative impact, creating toxic chemicals in its production.
• How is the packaging of papayas disposed of: Cardboard and styrofoam can both technically be recycled, but they have vastly different recycling rates. Cardboard’s recycling rate is very high, with around 89% of cardboard being successfully recycled. Styrofoam, however, has a much lower recycling rate of less than 1%. Therefore, the majority of papayas’ styrofoam packaging is ending up in landfills. Landfills are very unsustainable, causing problems like high greenhouse gas emissions, chemical runoff, and land clearing. 
• How are papayas disposed of: Papayas have peels that are generally not eaten. These are technically compostable, but since only 4% of food is actually composted, they are likely to end up in landfill. Furthermore, when food is put in landfill, food waste creates methane, heightening the unsustainability of landfills. 

In short, papayas’ use of styrofoam in their packaging, paired with their low composting rates, are very unsustainable. 

What Have Been Historical Ethics & Sustainability Issues Connected to the Papaya Industry

The papaya industry has historically contributed to unethical and unsustainable practices, such as chemical exposure, deforestation, and groundwater pollution. 

All fruits have had a complex road toward global distribution. They originate in one part of the world and often travel far to end up in your local supermarket. From farm to table, some of our favorite fruits have used unsustainable practices. Whether it’s exploiting labor, deforestation to meet demand, water pollution, or disruption of wildlife, most fruits have left a path of destruction. Many of these effects are still felt today or have even increased. Let’s see how papayas have fared throughout history.

What have been the key ethical & sustainable issues of the papaya industry?

• Has labor been exploited because of papayas production: A major case among Australian papaya workers reported that they were routinely exposed to dangerous pesticides attempting to eradicate the papaya fruit fly. When one employee insisted that he had experienced damages from these chemicals, he was institutionalized and misdiagnosed with a delusional disorder. Later, evidence emerged stating that the chemicals were poisonous, but by that time, he was already disabled and could not work. Cases like these demonstrate that not only can employees on papaya farms be exposed to dangerous chemicals, but that they can also be targeted for speaking out. 
• How much land has been lost because of papayas production: Papaya farming has been long associated with deforestation, especially when cultivated in Brazil. In 2015, it was estimated that 204 hectares of the Amazon rainforest was deforested specifically to cultivate papayas. This, combined with the fact that the papaya industry is set to grow in the coming years means that their destruction of the Amazon is likely to continue. 
• Which wildlife species have been negatively impacted or displaced because of papayas production: The Amazon rainforest is home to millions of species, over 10,000 of which are currently at risk of extinction. Many of these animals have experienced unprecedented habitat loss specifically to do with agricultural land clearing. Some of these species include jaguars, river dolphins, and poison dart frogs. 
• Have water sources and soil been contaminated because of papayas production: Nitrogen fertilizer has been long associated with soil, groundwater, and freshwater pollution. It is particularly known for promoting invasive algae growth, which is damaging to the ecosystem. 

In short, papaya agriculture has historically caused serious harm to workers and the environment. This is mainly due to chemical handling by workers, as well as Amazon deforestation and their use of nitrogen fertilizer. 

How Can You Reduce Your Environmental Impact and Offset Your Personal Carbon Footprint

There are a few things you can do to make your papaya consumption more ethical and sustainable, while still enjoying them. You can also consider offsetting your personal and papaya-related carbon emissions, which work to remove carbon emissions elsewhere that are then attributed to you. Here, we will walk you through how to accomplish both of these things.

How Can You Shop for Papayas More Ethically & Sustainably

In this section, we give you a short list of ways you can consume papayas in a more sustainable way. This list is designed to target the most unsustainable parts of papayas’ life-cycle:

1. Avoid papayas from the Ivory Coast: The Ivory Coast has been identified as a papaya exporter that uses child labor. If you want to lower the likelihood that your papayas are being farmed by children forced into labor, then boycotting the Ivory Coast might help. 
2. Buy organic papayas: Though papayas have lower pesticide rates, their use of nitrogen fertilizer is one of the leading contributors to their negative environmental impact. Organic farms generally avoid nitrogen fertilizers and so they are good to support if you want to reduce your fertilizer impact. Plus, dangerous chemicals are one of the main hazards of papaya farming for workers. So by supporting organic papaya farming, you are both reducing harm to the ecosystem, as well as potential harm to workers. 
3. Avoid packaging: Considering the low recycling rates of styrofoam, packaging is one of the most unsustainable aspects of papayas. If you try to avoid packaging as much as possible, you will not only be reducing the pollution involved in creating the packaging, but also the pollution associated with landfill waste. 

Following some of these methods can really help you to make your papaya-eating more sustainable. None of these will completely eradicate the negative impacts, since there are always effects that may be outside of your control. But some reduction is always better than nothing!

Which Organizations Can You Support to Help Promote Ethics & Sustainability

While papaya production engages in some very unsustainable practices, there are also some organizations that help you change the parts of these processes that would otherwise be outside of your control. These organizations are working hard to prevent and reverse damage to the environment caused by industries like papaya agriculture, towards a more sustainable future.

In the table below are some of the best charities that work in the areas where papaya production are very unsustainable—and beyond:

Overall ethics & sustainability	Best charities that advance ethics worldwide Best charities that promote sustainability
Social and economic impact	Best charities that help farmers
Seasonality	Best charities that fight to protect our environment
Land requirements	Best charities for reforestation Best wildlife conservation charities Best charities for protecting the Amazon rainforest
Water footprint	Best charities that fight for clean water Best charities that help conserve our rivers Best charities to save our oceans
Agrochemical usage	Best charities for helping farm animals
Carbon footprint	Best charities for climate change Best carbon offsets for individuals
Waste generation	Best charities that fight to reduce food waste Best charities that fight to end plastic pollution Best charities that promote recycling

Though it is helpful to boost the sustainability of your personal papaya consumption, supporting these organizations takes your positive impact a step further. You will be reaching far beyond your own consumption impacts and helping to build a better world for everyone!

How Can You Offset Your Personal Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint is a key part of how sustainable we live. And it is one of the ways we measure the effects of our human-induced global climate change. Yes, even from eating papayas!

“Carbon footprint: the amount of greenhouse gasses and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person’s activities or a product’s manufacture and transport) during a given period”

Merriam Webster

Basically, it is the amount of carbon emitted by you as an individual or an organization providing you with goods and services – including papayas:

• This includes GHG emissions from producing the products that we use and foods that we eat (e.g., power plants, factories or farms, and landfills)
• GHG emissions from fuel that we burn directly or indirectly (e.g., logistics and transportation, cooling or heating facilities),
• as well as the GHG emissions attributed to how we consume these products and foods.

Carbon offsets are reductions in carbon emissions that are used to compensate for carbon emissions occurring elsewhere – for example for the carbon emissions that are associated with papayas. They are measured in tons of CO₂ equivalents and are bought and sold through international brokers, online retailers, and trading platforms on what is known as the global carbon offset market. 

“Carbon Offset: a way for a company or person to reduce the level of carbon dioxide for which they are responsible by paying money to a company that works to reduce the total amount produced in the world, for example by planting trees”

Oxford Dictionary

In terms of papayas – and indeed all food types – there will always be a carbon footprint, because of the resources it takes to get your food from farms to the place where you’ll eventually eat them. And while there are ways to reduce your carbon footprint when shopping for papayas, carbon offsets would be a way to reduce your CO₂e emissions all the way down to net zero (or even to become climate positive).

However, when you purchase carbon offsets, it’s important that they actually make a difference in offsetting (aka reducing) total carbon emissions. To achieve that, the following are key criteria:

• Carbon offset projects have to be effective (different projects have different effectiveness rates)
• Carbon offset projects have to be additional
• Carbon offset projects have to be permanent
• The claims from carbon offset projects have to be verifiable

To find the best carbon offsets for you personally, check out our full guide on the best carbon offsets for individuals, where you’ll also learn more about how these carbon offset projects work, what their respective offsetting costs are, and what your best way would be to offset your own carbon emissions.

Final Thoughts

Papayas partake in some seriously unsustainable and unethical practices. Between child labor in the Ivory Coast and chemical hazards to workers in Australia, there are some major ethical problems in the industry. On the sustainability side, they have major issues with deforestation and styrofoam packaging pollution. But the good news is that you can engage in sustainable and ethical papaya consumption to help make your purchases have a positive impact and support ethical and sustainable organizations to create a more widespread positive impact around the world. 

Stay impactful,

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