United State s
                 Environmental Protection
                 Agency
      Solid Waste and
      Emergency Response
      (5305W)
                                              EPA530-F-95-005
                                                   July 1995
                  Environmental
                  Fact  Sheet
                 Recycling Municipal Solid Waste:
                 1994 Facts and  Figures

                 In the United States, we generated approximately 207 million tons of municipal solid
                 waste (MSW) in 1993—an average of 4.4 pounds per person per day. To safely and
                 effectively manage all of this trash, communities across the nation are using "integrated
                 waste management systems," which combine source reduction, recycling, combustion,
                 and landfilling to manage waste, Recycling, including composting, is a key component
                 of many integrated waste management systems. EPA has challenged the nation to
                 reduce ami recycle at least 25 percent of its MSW (in 1993, the nation's overall
                 recycling rate was just under 22 percent).  Many communities have far exceeded the
                 national goal. This fact sheet describes eight of the primary components of the MSW
                 stream, along with their generation rate, the percentage of the MSW stream they
                 represent, and their recovery rate.
                 1993 Recovery Rates for Major MSW Components
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed on paper that
contains at least 20
percent postconsumer fiber.
                 100% r-
                  80%
                  40%
                   20%
Aluminum Automotive
 53.0%  Batteries
        94.6%
Glass
22.0%
                 "1990 data

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Materials Generated  in MSW by Weight, 1993
Total weight = 206.9 million tons
            Yard trimmings
            32.8 million tons

            Plastics
            19.3 million tons

            Other *
            18.7 million tons

            Metals
            17.1 million tons
            Food
            13.8 million tons
                                                                          Paper and paperboard
                                                                          77.8 million tons
                                                                          Glass
                                                                          13.7 million tons
                                                                         Wood
                                                                         13.7 million tons
                                                                       * Includes rubber, leather, textiles, and
                                                                        miscellaneous wastes
Aluminum
        GENERATION: A total of 3 million tons of
        aluminum waste was generated in 1993.
        Aluminum containers and packaging, such as son
        drink and beer cans, contributed 2 million tons.
PERCENT: Aluminum made up 1.4 percent of
the total MSW generated in 1993.
RECOVERY: Approximately 53 percent of all
aluminum containers and packaging were
recycled in 1993. The overall recycling rare for
aluminum was 35.4 percent in 1993.
Aluminum generally has a high market value, and
aluminum cans supply a large percentage of the income
for many municipal recycling programs.  Almost all of the
aluminum collected is used to make new cans.
                                                 Automotive Batteries
                                                        GENERATION: About 1.7 million tons of used
                                                        automotive (lead-acid) batteries were generated
                                                        in 1993.
                                                                PERCENT: Automotive batteries constitute less
                                                                than 1 percent of the MSW stream.
                                                                RECOVERY: About 95 percent of automotive
                                                                batteries were recycled in 1993.
                                                 Although automotive batteries constitute a small portion
                                                 ol the MSW stream, they contain metals that may be a
                                                 concern when disposed of in landfills and combustors. All
                                                 three components of automotive batteries are recyclable:
                                                 the lead, the acid, and the plastic casing. Retailers often
                                                 accept used automotive batteries that manufacturers then
                                                 recycle into new batteries.

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Ferrous  Metals
        GENERATION: About 12.9 million tons of
        ferrous metal waste (e.g., iron and steel) was
        generated in 1993.
        PERCENT: Ferrous metals constituted 6.2
        percent of the MSW stream in 1993.
        RECOVERY: Overall, about 26 1 percent of
        ferrous metals in MSW were recycled in 1993.
        More than 46.3 percent of steel cans and other
        steel packaging materials were recycled. Much
        greater amounts of steel are recovered; however,
        these steel products (e.g., junked cars, steel
        girders) are usually not considen d MSW.
Demand for steel scrap is growing as steelmakers are using
more steel scrap to produce new products and less scrap is
being produced within the steel-making process. Some1
steel foundries are also beginning to use si eel cans
as a source of new raw materials.
        GENERATION: Nearly 77.8 million tons of paper
        and paperboard waste was generated in 1993.
        PERCENT: Paper and paperboard constitute the
        largest portion of the MSW stream, representing
        37.6 percent in 1993.
                                                 rate
RECOVERY: Paper had an overall recycling r;
of 34 percent in 1993. About 55.5 percent of
corrugated boxes, 45.7 percent of newspapers,
16.2 percent of books, 18 percent of magazines,
and 36.5 percent of office papers were recycled
in 1993.
Markets for recycled paper products are generally stable
and expanding as more mills build new deinking facilities
to process waste paper and as the demand for recycled
paper products grows. Significant new capacity has come
on line over the past several years. Paper is recycled into
paper products, paperboard products, and construction
products.
Glass
Plastics
        GENERATION: Approximately 13.7 million
        tons of glass waste was generated in 1993. Food
        and beverage containers made up almost 90
        percent of this amount; the remainder came Irom
        products like cookware and glassware, home
        furnishings, and plate glass.


        PERCENT: Glass constituted 6.6 percent of the
        MSW stream in 1993.
        RECOVERY: About 24.6 percent of all glass
        food arid beverage containers were recycled in
        1993. Glass had an overall recovery rate of 22
        percent in  1993.
Glass manufacturers typically use 30 percent crushed glass
(known as "cullet") along with raw materials to make new
glass. Cullet also can be used as an aggregate in road
building.
        GENERATION: Over 19 million tons of plastic
        waste was generated in 1993.
        PERCENT: Plastics comprised 9.3 percent of the
        total MSW stream in 1993.
        RECOVERY: About 3.5 percent of all plastics
        were recycled in 1993, with plastic soda bottles
        being the most commonly recycled product
        (more than 41 percent were recovered).
Much of the plastic that ends up in the waste stream is
from packaging and containers. Plastics recycling has
increased dramatically in recent years. Products made from
recycled plastic include drainage pipes, toys, carpet, filler
for pillows and sleeping bags, and cassette casings. While
accounting for just over 9 percent of the MSW stream by
weight, plastics made up nearly 24 percent of the total
waste stream by volume in 1993.

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Tires
         GENERATION: Approximately 3.4 million
         tons of rubber tires (or 250 million scrap tires-
         about  1 tire per person in the United States)
         were generated in 1993.
         PERCENT: Tires made up about 1.6 percent of
         the MSW stream in 1993.
RECOVERY: In 1993, approximately 12.9
percent of scrap tires were recycled.
Scrap used tires are difficult to dispose of in landfills and
waste combustors. An estimated 1 billion tires are
currently stockpiled. These stockpiles can provide
convenient habitats for rodents, serve as breeding grounds
for mosquitos, and pose fire hazards. Of the scrap tires
that are utilized, most are burned for energy. Scrap tires
also are used for rubberized asphalt paving, molded rubber
products, and athletic surfaces.
  Used  Oil
        GENERATION: Over 1.3 billion gallons of
        used oil are generated yearly.
        PERCENT: Used oil makes up less than 1
        percent of the MSW stream.
        RECOVERY: Sixty-seven percent of all used oil
        is recovered (900 million gallons). Only 10
        percent of the amount generated by people who
        change their own motor oil is re turned  to
        collection programs.
                                                   Yard Trimmings
                                                           GENERATION: Nearly 33 million tons of yard
                                                           trimmings (including grass, leaves, and tree and
                                                           brush trimmings) were generated in 1993.
                                                           PERCENT: Yard trimmings made up 15.9
                                                           percent of the MSW stream in 1993.
                                                                    RECOVERY: In 1993, nearly 20 percent of yard
                                                                    trimmings were composted.
                                                   Yard trimmings can be transformed into compost for
                                                   homeowners, farmers, public agencies, landscapers, and
                                                   nurseries. Grass clippings can be beneficial when left on
                                                   the lawn.
                                                     Source of data for this fact sheet: U.S. EPA's
                                                     Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in
                                                     the United States: 1994 Update, Office of Solid
                                                     Waste and Emergency Response. Data are
                                                     from 1993. *Used oil data are from 1990.
If disposed of improperly (i.e., poured down sewage
drains), used oil can contaminate soil, ground water, and
surface water. Many state and local governments are
taking steps to ensure the safe and effective management
of used oil. In some communities, used motor oil is
collected at service stations, corporate or municipal
collection sites, or curbside.

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