United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305W)
EPA530-S-99-O21
September 1999
www.'epa.gov/osw
Characterization of
Municipal Solid Waste in
The United States:
1998 Update
Executive Summary
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Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste
in the United States: 1998 Update
Executive Summary
Prepared for
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division
Office of Solid Waste
by
Franklin Associates
A Service of McLaren/Hart
Prairie Village, KS
July 1999
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Executive Summary
CHARACTERIZATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
IN THE UNITED STATES: 1998 UPDATE
Executive Summary
FEATURES OF THIS REPORT
This report is the latest in a series of reports published by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) describing the national municipal solid waste (MSW) stream. The
report characterizes the national solid waste stream for 1997. It also discusses' trends and
highlights changes that have occurred over the years, both in the types of wastes generated
and in the ways they are managed. Although the report does not specifically address local and
regional variations in the waste stream, the data in the report can be used to develop
approximate estimates of MSW generation and composition in defined areas.
This report includes information on:
Total MSW generation, recovery, and discards from 1960 to 1997.
Per capita generation and discard rates.
Materials (e.g., paper, glass, metals, plastic) that comprise MSW, as well
as products (e.g., durable and nondurable goods, containers, packaging)
found in the waste stream.
Aggregate data on the infrastructure for MSW management, including
estimates of the number of curbside recycling programs, drop-off
centers, materials recovery facilities, and composting programs in the
United States.
Trends in MSW management from 1960 to 1997, including source
reduction, recovery for recycling (including composting), and disposal
via combustion and landfilling.
Projections of MSW generation to the year 2005.
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Executive Summary
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
1 ' ' '!
; " i j
In 1997, 217 million tons of MSW were generated in the U.S., or 4.4 pounds per
person per day. Paper and yard trimmings account for over 51 percent of total generation. Of
the total of 217 million tons of MSW generated, 28 percent was recycled, up from 10 percent
in 1980 and 16 percent in 1990.
The 217 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in 1997 was nearly 8
million tons more than in 1996, when MSW generation was 209 million tons. Historically,
the increase in waste generation has been correlated with increased economic activity, and
i
moderated by decreases in waste generation caused by source reduction activities such as
backyard composting and leaving grass trimmings on the lawn. On a per capita basis, half of
the increase in total MSW generation was offset by increased recycling.
' , ii '' '. " . >'! 'j"
Between 1996 and 1997, almost all product categories increased in
tonnage. This correlates with increased per capita consumer
expenditures. The exceptions were glass and yard trimmings.
Paper and paperboard products made up the largest percentage of all
the materials in MSW, increasing by 4.2 million tons to 83.8 million
tons, or 38.6 percent of total generation, in 1997. This increase was
due to a rebound in newsprint production, and more production of
printing and writing papers, containerboard (corrugated boxes),
boxboard, and tissue paper.
Yard trimmings comprised the second largest material category,
estimated at 27.7 million tons, or 12.8 percent of total generation, in
1997. This compared to 35.0 million tons (17.1 percent of total
generation) in 1990. This decline is largely due to state legislation
affecting yard trimmings disposal in landfills, and due to source
reduction measures such as backyard composting and leaving grass
trimmings on the yard. From 1996 to 1997, the per capita generation
of yard trimmings decreased by only 0.2 million tons.
Recycling (including composting) recovered 28 percent (61 million
tons) of MSW in 1997, up from 27 percent (57 million tons) in
1996.*
Data shown for years prior to 1997 have been adjusted to reflect the latest revisions to the data and
methodology, and therefore may differ slightly from the same measure reported in previous updates.
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Executive Summary
There were nearly 9,000 curbside recycling programs in the United
States in 1997, as well as more than 12,OOP drop-off centers for
recyclables. About 380 materials recovery facilities helped process
the recyclables collected. About 3,500 yard trimmings composting
programs were reported, up from about 2,300 reported in 1996.
Recovery of paper and paperboard reached 42 percent (35 million
tons) in 1997, accounting for more than half of the total MSW
recovered. With greater generation of paper, more was available for
recycling. ;
In addition, 11.5 million tons of yard trimmings were recovered for
composting in 1997, accounting for the second largest fraction of
total recovery. The percentage of yard trimmings composted "(41
percent) has more than doubled since 1992. This is due to increased
numbers of yard trimmings facilities, more material being handled at
facilities, and bans of yard trimmings from landfills by 22 states.
From 1996 to 1997, however, composting increased by just one
million tons, suggesting that much of the impact of the states' bans
of yard trimmings from landfills had already taken place.
The per capita discard rate (after recovery for recycling, including
composting) was 3.2 pounds per person per day in 1997, up from 3.1
pounds per person per day in 1996.
Landfills managed 55 percent of MSW generated (120 million tons),
about the same percentage as in 1996. Combustion facilities
managed 17 percent (37 million tons) of total MSW generated, about
the same as in 1996.
TRENDS IN MSW MANAGEMENT
Table ES-1 and Figure ES-1 show the trends in MSW generation, materials recovery,
and disposal over time.
Waste Generation
The waste generation figure of 217 million tons per year in 1997 is an increase of
nearly 8 million tons from 1996, when MSW generation was 209 million tons.
Looking at the longer term trend, generation increased steadily from 88 million
tons in "1960 to 214 million tons in 1994. Generation decreased slightly in 1995
and 1996, then increased again in 1997. Increases in waste generation since 1960
have been correlated with increased economic activity as measured by gross
domestic product and personal consumption expenditures. The waste generation
has been limited by source reduction activities such as an increase in yard
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Executive Summary
trimmings being composted on-site, and more grass trimmings being left on
lawns.
* The decrease in waste generation in 1995 was due in large part to decreases in
yard trimmings. This continued in 1996, and was supported by paper and
paperboard generation decreases in 1996 as well. In 1997, generation of paper and
paperboard increased by 4.2 million tons, compared to 1996, accounting for about
half of the increase in waste generation over the last year.
,.,.i - '"« ' ' ' ' '.':, , "' ! I . . .. '
The per capita MSW generation rate for 1997 was 4.4 pounds per person per day,
compared to 4.3 pounds per person per day in 1996. The longer term trend shows
that the per capita waste generation rate increased from 2.7 pounds per person per
day in 1960 to 4.5 pounds per person per day in 1990decreasing to 4.4 in 1995,
4.3 in 1996, then rising again to 4.4 in 1997. Again, these changes are correlated
with economic activity, but limited by source reduction. The per capita waste
generation increase from 1996 to 1997 would have been even higher had no
source reduction activities taken place.
Recycling, Including Composting
From 1996 to 1997 the recycling rate increased from 27 percent to 28 percent.
This compares to a 10 percent recycling rate in 1980 and a 16 percent rate in 1990
(Figure ES-2).
Although the rate of growth of recycling, including composting, is not as high as it
was in the early 1990s, the tonnage of material recycled and composted has
continued to grow, as has the per capita recycling rate.
From 1996 to 1997 the per capita MSW generation rate, which is strongly
correlated with economic activity, increased by 0.12 pounds per person per day.
Half of this (0.06 pounds per person per day) went to increased recycling and half
of this (0.06 pounds per person per day) went to increased disposal.
Disposal
In the 1960s and early 1970s, a large percentage of MSW was burned. Through
the mid-1980s, incineration declined considerably and landfills became more
difficult to site. MSW generation continued to rise, however, while materials
recovery rates increased slowly. As a result, the burden on the nation's landfills
grew dramatically. Although there are now fewer municipal solid waste landfills,
their average size has increased and capacity at the national level does not appear
to be a problem. Regional dislocations do, however, sometimes occur. As
recovery rates have increased, while combustion remained relatively constant, the
percentage of MSW discarded to landfills has steadily decreased.
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Executive Summary
Table ES-1
GENERATION, MATERIALS RECOVERY, COMPOSTING, COMBUSTION
AND DISCARDS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE, 1960 TO 1997
(In millions of tons and percent of total generation)
Generation
Recovery for recycling
Recovery for composting*
Total Materials Recovery
Discards after recovery
Combustion**
Discards to landfill,
other disposalf
Generation
Recovery for recycling
Recovery for composting*
Total Materials Recovery
Discards after recovery
Combustion**
Discards to landfill,
other disposalf
Population (thousands)
Generation
Recovery for recycling
Recovery for composting*
Total Materials Recovery
Discards after recovery
Combustion**
Discards to landfill,
other disposalf
1960
88J
5.(.
Neg
5.6
82.5
27.0
55.5
Thousands of Tons
1970
121.;
8.C
Neg
8.C
113.C
25.1
87.9
1980
ISl.f
14.5
Neg
14.5
137.1
13.7
123.4
1990
205.2
29.C
4.2
33.2
172.0
31.9
140.1
1994
214.2
422
8.f
50.6
163.6
32.5
131.1
1995
. 211.4
45.3
9.i
54.9
156.5
35.5
120.9
1996
209.2
46.4
10.S
57.3
151.9
36.1
Pounds per Person per Day
1960
2.68
0.17
Neg.
0.17
2.51
0.82
1.69
179,979
1970
3.25
0.22
Neg.
0.22
3.04
0.67
2.36
203,984
1980
3.66
0.35
Neg.
0.35
3.31
0.33
2.98
227,255
1990
4.50
0.64
0.09
0.73
3.77
0.70
3.07
249,907
1994
4.50
0.89
. 0.18
, 1.06
3.44
0.68
2.75
260,682
Percent of Total Generation
1960
100.0%
6.4%
Neg.
6.4%
93.6%
30.6%
63.0%
1970
100.0%
6.6%
Neg.
6.6%
93.4%
20.7%
72.6%
1980
100.0%
9.6%
Neg.
9.6%
90.4%
9.0%
81.4%
1990
100.0%
14.2%
2.0%
16.2%
83.8%
15.5%
68.3%
1994
100.0%
19.7%
1 4.0%
23.6%
76.4%
15.2%
61.2%
1995
4.40
0.94
0.20
1.14
3.26
0.74
252
263,168
1996
4.32
0.96
0.23
1.18
3.14
0.75
2.39
265,253
afftttittttmtntmrtmrm't,
1995
100.0%
21.5%
4.5%
26.0%
74.0%
16.8%
572%
1996
100.0%
222%
5.2%
27.4%
72.6%
17.3%
55.4%
1997
217.0
48.6.
12.1
60.7
156.3
36.7
1997
4.44
1.00
0.25
1.24
3.20
0.75
2.45
267,645
1997
100.0%
224%
5.6%
28.0%
72.0%
16.9%
* Composting of yard trimmings and food wastes. Does not include mixed MSW composting or backyard composting
** Includes combustion of MSW in mass burn or refuse-derived fuel form, incineration without energy recovery, and
combustion with energy recovery of source separated materials in MSW (e.g., wood pallets and tire-derived fuel).
t Discards after recovery minus combustion.
Details may not add to totals due to rounding.
Source: Franklin Associates
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Executive Summary
Figure ES-1. Total municipal solid waste generation and management,
1960 to 1997
250
Recovery for the composting
component of recycling
I960 196S
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
Figure ES-2. MSW recovery tonnages and rates, 1960 to 1997
70.0
60.0
50.0
40,0
30.0
20.0
10.0
30%
25%
-20%
10%
5%
1960
1980
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Executive Summary
DEFINITIONS AND METHODOLOGY
Municipal solid waste ( MSW) includes wastes such as durable goods, nondurable goods,
containers and packaging, food scraps, yard trimmings, and miscellaneous inorganic wastes from
residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sources. Examples of waste from these
categories include appliances, automobile tires, newspapers, clothing, boxes, disposable tableware,
office and classroom paper, wood pallets, and cafeteria wastes. MSW does not include wastes from
other sources, such as construction and demolition debris, automobile bodies, municipal sludges,
combustion ash, and industrial process wastes that might also be disposed in municipal waste
landfills or incinerators.
Source reduction activities reduce the amount or toxicity of wastes before they enter the
municipal solid waste management system (see Generation): Reuse is a source reduction activity
involving the recovery or reapplication of a package, used product, or material in a manner that
retains its original form or identity. Reuse of products such as refillable glass bottles, reusable
plastic food storage containers, or refurbished wood pallets are examples of source reduction.
Generation refers to the amount (weight or volume) of materials and products that enter the waste
stream before recycling (including composting), landfilling, or combustion takes place.
Recovery of materials means removing MSW from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling
(including composting). Recovery for recycling as defined for this report includes purchases of
postconsumer recovered materials plus net exports of the materials. Recovery of yard trimmings
includes diverting yard trimmings from disposal to a composting facility. For some materials,
recovery for uses such as highway construction or insulation is considered recovery along with
materials used in remanufacturing processes.
Combustion includes combustion of mixed MSW, fuel prepared from MSW, or a separated
component of MSW (such as rubber tires), with or without energy recovery.
Discards include the municipal solid waste remaining after recycling (including composting).
These discards are usually combusted or disposed of in landfills, although some MSW is littered,
stored, or disposed on site, particularly in rural areas. :
Methodology. There are two primary methods for conducting a waste characterization study. The
first is a source-specific approach in which the individual components of the waste stream are
sampled, sorted, and weighed. Although this method is useful for defining a local waste stream,
extrapolating from a limited number of studies can produce a skewed or misleading picture if used
for a nationwide characterization of waste. Atypical circumstances encountered during sampling or
errors in the sample would be greatly magnified when expanded to represent the nation's entire
waste stream. The second method, which is used in this report, is called the "material flows
methodology." EPA's Office of Solid Waste and its predecessors in the Public Health Service
sponsored work in the 1960s and early 1970s to develop the material flows methodology. This
methodology is based on production data (by weight) for the materials and products in the waste
stream, with adjustments for imports, exports, and product lifetimes.
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Executive Summary
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IN 1997
', , : j ' ,
EPA has established a target recycling goal of 35 percent by the year 2005, while
maintaining the per capita generation of solid waste at 4.3 pounds per person per day. The
nation appears to be on-track to meet that goal, but it will take continued commitment from
I. . " " '»i. " . : 1
business, industry, government and the public to do so. As economic growth results in more
products and materials being generated, there will be an increased need to utilize existing
recycling and composting facilities, further develop this infrastructure, buy recycled products,
and invest in source reduction activities such as grasscycling and composting.
EPA has two ways of analyzing the 217 million tons of MSW generated each year.
The first is by major material categories, such as paper, glass, metals, plastics, wood, food,
and yard trimmings. The second is by several major product categories. Each material
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category (except for food wastes and yard trimmings) is made up of many different products.
Products in MSW are grouped into three main categories: (1) durable goods (e.g.,
appliances), (2) nondurable goods (e.g., newspapers), and (3) containers and packaging.
These product categories generally contain each type of MSW material, with some
exceptions. The durable goods category contains no paper and paperboard. The nondurable
goods category includes only small amounts of metals and essentially no glass or wood. The
containers and packaging category includes only very small amounts of rubber, leather, and
textiles.
Materials in MSW
In 1997, MSW generation totaled 217 million tons. Figure ES-3 provides a
breakdown, by weight, of the MSW materials generated in 1997. Paper and paperboard
products made up the largest component of MSW generated (39 percent), and yard trimmings
comprised the second largest material component (13 percent). Glass, metals, plastics, wood,
and food wastes each constituted between 5 and 10 percent of the total MSW generated.
i. , , . ' , ', . i i .
Rubber, leather, and textiles combined made up about 7 percent of MSW, while other
miscellaneous wastes made up approximately 3 percent of the MSW generated in 1997.
. ! 1
!|
A portion of each material category in MSW was recycled or composted in 1997, as
illustrated in Table ES-2. It should be noted, however, that recovery rates for some products
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within a material category are higher than the overall recovery rate for the material category,
because some products are not recovered at all. For example, aluminum cans were recovered
at a rate of 60 percent, but the overall recovery rate for aluminum was 31
percent. Likewise,
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Executive Summary
Figure ES-3. Materials generated in MSW by weight, 1997
(Total weight = 217 million tons)
Yard trimmings 12.8%
27.7 mil
Rubber, leather, textiles 6.8%
14.8 million tons
Food 10.1%
21.9 million tons
Wood 5.3%
11.6 million tons
Plastics 9.3%
21.5 million tons
Papers Paperboard 38.6%
83.8 million tons
Glass 5.5%
12.0 million tons
Metals 7.7%
16.6 million tons:
even though corrugated containers were recovered at a rate of 67 percent, the overall recovery
rate for paper and paperboard was 42 percent.
Products in MSW
Figure ES-4 shows the breakdown, by weight, of MSW products generated in 1997.
Containers and packaging comprised the largest portion of products generated, at 33 percent
(72 million tons) of total MSW generation. Nondurable goods were the second largest
fraction, comprising about 27 percent (59 million tons). The third main category of products
is durable goods, which comprised 15 percent (33 million tons) of total MSW generation.
Table ES-3 shows the generation and recovery of the product categories in MSW.
Recovery of containers and packaging was the highest of the three product categories39
percent of containers and packaging generated in 1997 were recovered for recycling. About
49 percent of aluminum packaging was recovered (mostly aluminum beverage cans), while
61 percent of steel packaging (mostly cans) was recovered. Paper and paperboard packaging
recovery was estimated at 54 percent; corrugated containers accounted for most of that figure.
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Executive Summary
Table ES-2
GENERATION AND RECOVERY OF MATERIALS IN MSW, 1997
(In millions of tons and percent of generation of each material)
Paper and paperboard
Glass
Metals
Steel
Aluminum
Other nonferrous metals*
Total metals
Plastics
Rubber and leather
Textiles
Wood
Other materials
Total Materials in Products
Other wastes
Food, other**
Yard trimmings
Miscellaneous inorganic wastes
Total Other Wastes
TOTAL MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
Weight
Generated
83.8
12.0
12.3
3.0
1.3
16.6
21.5
6.6
8.2
11.6
3.8
164.1
21.9
27.7
3.3
52.9
217.0
Weight
Recovered
34.9
2.9
4.7
0.9
0.8
6.5
1.1
0.8
1.1
0.6
0.8
48.6
0.6
11.5
Neg.
12.1
60.7
Recovery
as a Percent
of Generation
41.7%
24.3%
38.4%
31.2%
65.4%
39.1%
5.2%
11.7%
12.9%
5.1%
20.2%
29.6%
2.6%
41.4%
Neg.
22.8%
28.0%
Includes wastes from residential, commercial, and institutional sources.
* Includes lead from lead-acid batteries.
** Includes recovery of paper for composting.
Neg. = Less than 50,000 tons or 0.05 percent.
Approximately 28 percent of glass containers were recovered overall, while about 8
percent of wood packaging (mostly pallets removed from service) was recovered for
recycling. About 9 percent of plastic containers and packaging was recovered in 1997, mostly
soft drink, milk, and water bottles.
Overall recovery of nondurable goods was 25 percent in 1997. Newspapers
constituted the largest portion of this recovery, with 55 percent of newspapers generated
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Executive Summary
Figure ES-4. Products generated in MSW by weight, 1997
(Total weight = 217 million tons)
Food, other 11.6%
25.2 million tons^.
Durable goods 15.3%
33.2 million tons
Yard trimmings 12.8%
27.7 million tons
Containers & packaging 33.1%
71.7 million tons
Nondurable goods 27.2%
59.1 miljion tons
being recovered for recycling. High-grade office papers and magazines were also recovered
in significant quantities in 1997, at an estimated 51 percent and 23 percent, respectively.
About 16 percent of clothing and other textile nondurable products also were
recovered for recycling.
Overall, durable goods were recovered at a rate of 17 percent in 1997. Nonferrous
metals had one of the highest recovery rates, at 65 percent, due to the high rate of lead
recovery from lead-acid batteries. Nearly 31 percent of ferrous metals were recovered from
appliances and miscellaneous durable goods. Excluding retreads and tire-derived fuel use,
over 22 percent of tires also were recovered for recycling.
Residential and Commercial Sources of MSW
Sources of MSW, as characterized in mis report, include both residential and
commercial locations. Residential waste (including waste from multi-family dwellings) is
estimated to be 55 to 65 percent of total MSW generation. Commercial waste (including
waste from schools, some industrial sites where packaging is generated, and businesses)
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Executive Summary
"' 'i i
1
I
Table ES-3
GENERATION' AND RECOVERY OF PRODUCTS IN MSW
BY MATERIAL, 1997
(In millions of tons and percent of generation of each product)
1
11 Durable goods
| Ferrous metals
I Aluminum
|| Other non-ferrous metals
Total metals
Glass
Plastics
Rubber and leather
Wood
1 Textiles
J Other materials
| Total durable goods
[ Nondurable goods
I Paper and paperboard
Plastics
Rubber and leather
Textiles
Other materials
Total nondurable goods
Containers and packaging
Steel
Aluminum
Total metals
Glass
Paper and paperboard
Plastics
Wood
Other materials
Total containers and packaging
Other wastes
Food wastes
Yard trimmings
Miscellaneous inorganic wastes
Total other wastes
TOTAL MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
Weight
Generated
Weight
Recovered
Recovery
as a Percent
of Generation
II
9.2
0.9
1.3
11.4
1.4
6.7
5.8
4.5
2.5
1.0
33.2
2.8
Neg.
0.8
3.7
Neg.
0.3
0.8
Neg.
0.2
0.8
5.7
30.8%
Neg. II
64.8%
32.2%
Neg.
4.4%
13.4%
Neg. ||
6.7%
76.4%
17.0%
II
44.4
5.4
0.8
5.6
2.9
59.1
13.8
Neg.
Neg.
0.9
Neg.
14.7
31.0%
<1%
Neg.
15.9%
Neg.
24.8%
II
3.1
1.9
5.0
10.6
39.5
9.4
7.1
0.1
71.7
1.9
0.9
2.8
2.9
21.1
0.8
0.6
Neg.
28.3
61.0%
48.5%
56.2%
27.6%
53.5%
8.7%
8.3%
Neg.
39.4%
21.9
27.7
3.3
52.9
217.0
0.6 *
11.5
Neg.
12.1
60.7
2.6%
41.4%
Neg.
22.8%
28.0%
Includes wastes from residential, commercial, and institutional sources.
* Includes recovery of paper for composting.
Neg. = less than 50,000 tons or 0.05 percent
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Executive Summary
constitutes between 35 and 45 percent. Local and regional factors, such as climate and level
of commercial activity, contribute to these variations.
MANAGEMENT OF MSW
EPA's integrated waste management hierarchy includes the following components:
Source reduction (or waste prevention) (including reuse of products and
backyard composting of yard trimmings)
Recycling (including composting)
Waste combustion (preferably with energy recovery) and landfilling.
Figure ES-5 shows how much MSW was recovered for recycling (including
composting) and how much was disposed of by combustion and landfilling in 1997. Twenty-
eight percent (61 million tons) of MSW was recycled and composted; an estimated 17
percent (37 million tons) was combusted (nearly all with energy recovery); and the
remainder, 55 percent (119 million tons), was landfilled. (Relatively small amounts of this
total undoubtedly were littered or self-disposed rather than landfilled.)
Figure ES-5. Management of MSW in the U.S., 1997
(Total weight = 217 million tons)
Combustion 16.9%
36.7 million tons
Recovery for recycling
(including composting) 28%
60.7 million tons
Landfill, other 55.1%
119.6 million tons
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Executive Summary
Source Reduction
' i - ":
Source reduction includes the design, manufacture, purchase, or use of materials, such
- < j 'i / ' i
as products and packaging, to reduce their amount or toxicity before they enter the MSW
management system. Some examples of source reduction activities are:
! : , :,' : ii ! !'
i ' " , ' ''!!!'' i II I '':,
Designing products or packaging to reduce the quantity or the toxicity of the
materials used, or to make them easy to reuse.
,j
> Reusing existing products or packaging, for example, refillable bottles,
reusable pallets, and reconditioned barrels and drums. I
: ' ' ' ' ' " ' ' i , ] " : : I
Lengthening the lives of products to postpone disposal. '
Using packaging that reduces the amount of damage or spoilage to the
product.
,, ' i ,i
Managing nonproduct organic wastes (e.g., food scraps and yard trimmings)
through on-site composting or other alternatives to disposal (e.g., leaving
grass clippings on the lawn).
>i
Product source reduction activities are not quantified at the national level in this
report.
Recovery
Recovery for recycling (including composting) continues to be one of the most
effective waste management techniques. Approximately 51 percent of the U.S. population
(136 million people) had access to the nation's nearly 9,000 curbside recycling programs in
1997. Seventy-five percent of the programs were in the Northeast and Midwest. In addition,
over 12,000 drop-off centers for recyclables were reported in 1997. About 380 materials
recovery facilities helped process the recyclables collected in 1997. An estimated 3,500 yard
trirnmings composting programs (not backyard composting) existed in 1997; the majority of
these programs were in the Northeast and Midwest.
..... , ' i i| , i ' ';
Combustion
' ' ; ' ' ! -i! ' " ! "' ' "
Most MSW combustion in the United States involves the recovery of an energy
product (generally steam or electricity). Total MSW combustion with energy recovery,
referred to as waste-to-energy combustion, had a design capacity of 101,000 tons per day in
1997. There were 1 12 waste-to-energy combustion facilities in the United States in 1997;
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_ Executive Summary
about 38 percent of these were located in the Northeast, accounting for about 48 percent of
total design capacity. There is a small amount of capacity (2,400 tons per day) for
incineration without energy recovery.
Landfilling
Although the number of landfills in the United States is decreasing, landfill capacity
has remained relatively constant. In 1997, approximately 2,200 municipal solid waste
landfills were reported in the contiguous United States, With the Southeast and West having
the greatest number of landfills. Forty-two states had landfills reporting more than 10 years of
capacity remaining. Only six states reported having less than 10 years of capacity left.
PROJECTIONS OF MSW GENERATION AND MANAGEMENT
MSW Generation
Projections of municipal solid waste generation were made for the years 2000 and
2005. The projections for most materials and products were based on linear trends, that is,
it was assumed that generation would continue to grow (or decline) based on past
experience. It was assumed that there will be no dramatic changes in the next eight years.
Projected generation by material is shown in Table ES-4. Generation of waste
from products made of paper and paperboard, metals, plastics, wood, and other materials
such as rubber and textiles is projected to continue to increase. Only glass is projected to
decline. '
Food waste is projected to increase at the same rate as population. Generation of
yard trimmings has been decreasing due to state legislation regulating their disposal (e.g.,
landfill bans on disposal of yard trimmings). While no new legislation of this type was
identified, an increasing number of communities have been instituting variable rate
collection programs (pay-as-you-throw). Since these programs tend to decrease the
amount of yard trimmings disposed, it was assumed that generation of yard trimmings
will remain constant from 2000 to 2005. :
The long term historical trend has been for generation of manufactured products
to increase (Figure ES-6). Diversion of yard trimmings from disposal has served to hold
down the overall growth of MSW; however, the overall trend is still up.
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Executive Summary
'.'' . " f ]
i i
Table ES-4
PROJECTIONS OF MATERIALS GENERATED*
IN THE MUNICIPAL WASTE STREAM: 2000 AND 2005
(In thousands of tons and percent of total generation)
Million tons % of total
Materials 2000 2005
Paper and Paperboard 87.7 94.8
Glass 11.9 11.2
Metals 17.6 18.7
Plastics 23.4 26.7
Wood 14.0 15.8
Others 19.7 22.2
2000
39.3%
5.3%
7.9%
10.5%
6.3%
8.8%
2005
39.6%
4.7%
7.8%
11.2%
6,6%
9.3%
* ,i 'i
Total Materials in Products
174.3 189.4
78.1% 79.1%
Other Wastes
Food Wastes
Yard Trimmings
Miscellaneous Inorganic Wastes
Total Other Wastes
": ' '"1"
Total MSW Generated
22.5
23.0
3.4
48.9
223.2
23.5
23.0
3.6
50.1
239.5
10.1%
10.3%
1.5%
21.9%
. r .,
100.0%
9.8%
9.6%
1.5%
20.9%
100.0%
i '1
* Generation before materials recovery or combustion.
Details may not add to totals due to rounding.
Source: Franklin Associates
MSW Management
Projections of recycling (including composting) were made in scenarios of 30
percent and 32 percent recovery in 2000 and 32 percent and 35 percent in 2005. These
;: : 1, , ' *> , ,» ;| ;,
projections were made in the context of an extensive recovery and processing
infrastructure already in place, on the one hand, and very poor markets for most recovered
materials for the past two years, on the other hand. The poor markets are not just
domestic in origin, but also reflect worldwide economic conditions.
i ,'',, i
The more conservative scenario30 percent recovery in 2000 and 32 percent in
2005assumes continued modest growth in recovery. The more optimistic scenario32
percent recovery in 2000 and 35 percent in 2005assumes that market difficulties will be
corrected in time to stimulate additional recovery.
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Executive Summary
Under the conservative scenario for recovery, discards of MSW to combustion or
landfill would be virtually the same in 2000 as in 1997, and would be 4 percent higher in
2005 than in 1997. If a modest increase in MSW combustion is projected, MSW
landfilled will decline slightly in 2000 and increase by 4 percent in 2000 compared to
1997. If recovery for recycling (including composting) could be increased to 35 percent of
generation in 2005, MSW landfilled would decrease to 117.6 million tons, compared to
119.5 million tons in 1997. '
Figure ES-6. Historical and projected MSW, by category
200
150
.a
1
SO - S I
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
17
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United States
Environmental Protection Agency
(5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
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