1
general::
Phrase(s): go to waste
[for something] to be wasted; to be unused (and therefore thrown away). • Eat your potatoes! Don’t let them go to waste. • We shouldn’t let all those nice herbs go to waste. Let’s pick some before the first hard frost.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
Fail to be used or taken advantage of. For example, I hate to see such talent go to waste, or We bought so much food that some will be going to waste. [c. 1500]
American Heritage Idioms