United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling,
and Disposal in the United States:
Facts and Figures for 2008
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has collected and reported data on
the generation and disposal of waste in the United States for more than 30 years. We
use this information to measure the success of waste reduction and recycling programs
across the country. These facts and figures are current through calendar year 2008.
In 2008, Americans generated about 250 million tons of trash and recycled and
composted 83 million tons of this material, equivalent to a 33.2 percent recycling rate*
(see Figure 1 and Figure 2). On average, we recycled and composted 1.5 pounds of
our individual waste generation of 4.5 pounds per person per day.
Figure 1. MSW Generation Rates, 1960 to 2008
300
250
200
100
50
254.6
239.7 ^249.6
205.2
88.1
2.68
727.7
3.25
757.1
3.66
4.50
4.65 4.63
4.50
4 §,
1960
1970 1980
Total MSW generation
1990 2000 2007 2008
Per capita generation
The previously published 2007 recycling rate, 33.4 percent, was revised to 33.1 percent in this year's report, based on updated data
(see Figure 2).
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Figure 2. MSW Recycling Rates, 1960 to 2008
90
80
70
60
50
40
! 30
3 20
10
84.2
6.4%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980
A Total MSW recycling
1985 1990 1995 2000200520072008
• Percent recycling
Trends in Municipal Solid Waste
in 2008
Our trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), is made up
of the things we commonly use and then throw away.
These materials range from packaging, food scraps,
and grass clippings, to old sofas, computers, tires,
and refrigerators. MSW does not include industrial,
hazardous, or construction waste.
In 2008, Americans recovered about 61 million tons
(excluding composting) through recycling. Composting
recovered 22.1 million tons of waste. We combusted
about 32 million tons for energy recovery (about
13 percent). Subtracting out what we recycled and
composted, we combusted (with energy recovery)
or discarded 3 pounds per person per day.
In 2008, office-type paper recovery rose to about 71
percent (4.3 million tons), and about 65 percent of
yard trimmings were recovered (see Figure 3). Metals
were recycled at a rate of almost 35 percent (see Table
1). By recycling more than 7 million tons of metals
(which includes aluminum, steel, and mixed metals),
we eliminated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
totaling close to 25 million metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2E). This is equivalent to removing more than 4.5 million cars from the road
for one year.*
About 135 million tons of MSW (54 percent) was discarded in landfills in 2008 (see Figure 4).
Over the last few decades,
the generation, recycling,
composting, and disposal
of MSW have changed
substantially. While solid
waste generation has increased, from
3.66 to 4.50 pounds per person per day
between 1980 and 2008, the recycling
rate has also increased—from less than
10 percent of MSW generated in 1980 to
over 33 percent in 2008. Disposal of waste
to a landfill has decreased from 89 percent
of the amount generated in 1980 to
54 percent of MSW in 2008.
1 All benefit calculations in this fact sheet are derived from EPA's WAste Reduction Model (WARM). Please see www.epa.gov/warm
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Figure 3. Recycling Rates of Selected Products, 2008*
Auto Office-type Yard
Batteries Papers Trimmings
*Does not include combustion (with energy recovery).
Steel Aluminum Beer Tires HOPE Natural Glass PET Bottles
Cans & Soda Cans (white Containers & Jars
translucent)
Bottles
Figure 4. Management of MSW in the United States, 2008
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Sources of MSW
We estimated residential waste (including
waste from apartment houses) to be 55 to
65 percent of total MSW generation. Waste
from commercial and institutional locations,
such as schools, hospitals, and businesses,
amounted to 35 to 45 percent.
Nationally, we recycled and composted 83 million
tons of municipal solid waste. This provides an annual
benefit of 182 million metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent emissions reduced, comparable to the
annual GHG emissions from more than 33 million
passenger vehicles.
Analyzing MSW
We analyze waste by material, such as paper
and paperboard, yard trimmings, food scraps, and plastics, and by major product categories, which include
durable goods (such as furniture), nondurable goods (such as paper or clothing), containers and packaging
(such as milk cartons and plastic wrap), and other materials (such as food scraps).
Materials in MSW
Total MSW generation in 2008 was 250 million tons. Organic materials continue to be the largest component
of MSW. Paper and paperboard account for 31 percent, with yard trimmings and food scraps accounting for 26
percent. Plastics comprise 12 percent; metals make up 8 percent; and rubber, leather, and textiles account for
almost 8 percent. Wood follows at around 7 percent and glass at 5 percent. Other miscellaneous wastes make
up approximately 3 percent of the MSW generated in 2008 (see Figure 5).
Figure 5. Total MSW Generation (by material), 2008
250 Million Tons (before recycling)
Other
3.3%
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Table 1. Generation and Recovery of Materials in MSW, 2008*
(in millons of tons and percent of generation of each material)
Material
Paper and paperboard
Glass
Metals
Steel
Aluminum
Other nonferrous metalst
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
77.42
12.15
15.68
3.41
1.76
20.85
30.05
7.41
12.37
16.39
4.50
181.14
31.79
32.90
3.78
68.47
249.61
Weight Recovered
42.94
2.81
5.29
0.72
1.21
7.22
2.12
1.06
1.89
1.58
1.15
60.77
0.80
21.30
Negligible
22.10
82.87
Recovery as Percent
of Generation
55.5%
23.1%
33.7%
21.1%
68.8%
34.6%
7.1%
14.3%
1 5.3%
9.6%
25.6%
33.5%
2.5%
64.7%
Negligible
32.3%
33.2%
* Includes waste from residential, commercial, and institutional sources.
t Includes lead from lead-acid batteries.
$ Includes recovery of other MSW organics for composting.
Details might not add to totals due to rounding.
Negligible = Less than 5,000 tons or 0.05 percent.
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Significant amounts of materiai from each category were
recycfed or composted in 2008. The highest recovery rates
were achieved in yard trimmings, paper and paperboard,
and metafs. About 21 miffion tons of yard trimmings were
composted, representing a five-fofd increase since 1990.
We recycfed more than haff the paper and paperboard we
generated. Recycfing these organic materiafs afone kept 26
percent of MSW out of fandfiffs and combustion facifities.
Recycfing amounts and rates (recovery as a percent of
generation) for aff materiafs in 2008 are fisted in Tabfe 1.
Recycling and composting 83 million
tons of MSW saved 1.3 quadrillion Btu
of energy, the equivalent
of more than 10.2 billion
gallons of gasoline.
Products in MSW
The breakdown, by weight, of waste generated in 2008 by product category is shown in Figure 6.
Containers and packaging made up the fargest portion of MSW generated: 31 percent, or about 77
miffion tons. The second fargest portion came from nondurabfe goods, which amounted to about 24
percent, or about 59 miffion tons. Yard trimmings make up the third fargest segment, accounting for
13 percent, or afmost 33 miffion tons.
The generation and recovery of materiafs in the product categories, by weight and recovery as a percent of
generation, are shown in Tabfe 2. This tabfe shows that the recovery of containers and packaging was the
highest of the four product categories, with about 44 percent of the generated materiafs recycfed. Steef,
paper products, and afuminum were the most recycfed materiafs by percentage in this category. More than
63 percent of steef packaging (mostfy cans) was recycfed. Sixty-six percent of paper and paperboard
containers and packaging was recycfed, incfuding nearfy 77 percent of aff corrugated boxes. The recycfing
rate for afuminum packaging was 38 percent, incfuding just over 48 percent of afuminum beverage cans.
Figure 6. Total MSW Generation (by category), 2008
250 million tons (before recycling)
Other Wastes
1.5%
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Ta
ble 2. Generation and Recovery of Products in MSW, 2008* (in millons of tons and percent of generation of each product)
Products
Durable goods
Steel
Aluminum
Other non-ferrous metals*
Glass
Plastics
Rubber and leather
Wood
Textiles
Other materials
Total durable goods
Nondurable goods
Paper and paperboard
Plastics
Rubber and leather
Textiles
Other materials
Total nondurable goods
Containers and packaging
Steel
Aluminum
Glass
Paper and paperboard
Plastics
Wood
Other materials
Total containers and packaging
Other wastes
Food, other*
Yard trimmings
Miscellaneous inorganic wastes
Total other wastes
Total municipal solid waste
Weight Generated
13.13
1.31
1.76
2.10
10.52
6.34
5.68
3.35
1.48
45.67
39.12
6.52
1.04
8.78
3.25
58.71
2.55
1.88
10.05
38.29
13.01
10.71
0.27
76.76
31.79
32.90
3.78
68.47
249.61
Weight Recovered
3.68
Negligible
1.21
Negligible
0.39
1.06
Negligible
0.44
1.15
7.93
17.86
Negligible
Negligible
1.45
Neg.
19.31
1.61
0.72
2.81
25.08
1.73
1.58
Negligible
33.53
0.80
21.30
Negligible
22.10
82.87
Recovery as Percent of
Generation
28.0%
Negligible
68.8%
Negligible
3.7%
16.7%
Negligible
13.1%
76.2%
17.4%
45.7%
Negligible
Negligible
16.5%
Neg.
32.9%
63.1%
38.3%
28.0%
65.5%
13.2%
14.8%
Negligible
43.7%
2.5%
64.7%
Negligible
32.3%
33.2%
Includes waste from residential, commercial, and institutional sources.
Includes lead from lead-acid batteries.
Includes recovery of other MSW organics for composting.
Details might not add to totals due to rounding.
Negligible = less than 5,000 tons or 0.05 percent.
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Table 3. Generation, Materials Recovery, Composting, Combustion With Energy Recovery, and Discards of MSW,
1960 to 2008 (in million of tons)
Activity
Generation
Recovery for
recycling
Recovery for
composting*
Total materials
recovery
Combustion
with energy
recoveryt
Discards to
landfill, other
disposal*
1960
88.1
5.6
Negligible
5.6
0.0
82.5
1970
121.1
8.0
Negligible
8.0
0.4
112.7
1980
151.6
14.5
Negligible
14.5
2.7
134.4
1990
205.2
29.0
4.2
33.2
29.7
142.3
2000
239.1
52.9
16.5
69.4
33.7
136.0
2003
242.2
55.6
19.1
74.7
33.1
134.4
2005
249.7
58.6
20.6
79.2
31.6
138.9
2007
254.6
62.5
21.7
84.2
32.0
138.4
2008
249.6
60.8
22.1
82.9
31.6
135.1
* Composting of yard trimmings, food scraps, and other MSW organic material. Does not include backyard composting.
t Includes combustion of MSW in mass burn or refuse-derived fuel form, and combustion with energy recovery of source separated materials in MSW (e.g., wood
pallets, tire-derived fuel).
$ Discards after recovery minus combustion with energy recovery. Discards include combustion without energy recovery.
Details might not add to totals due to rounding.
Around 28 percent of glass containers were recycled,
while about 15 percent of wood packaging—mostly EverVton of mixed PaPer recVcled
wood pallets—was recovered. More than 13 percent of can save the energy
plastic containers and packaging was recycled, mostly ,
from soft drink, milk, and water bottles. Plastic bottles eC1UIValent °f 185 9all°nS
were the most recycled plastic products. Recovery of of gasoline.
HDPE natural (white translucent) bottles was
estimated at about 29 percent. PET bottles and jars
were recovered at 27 percent (see supporting 2008
MSW data tables).
Overall recovery of nondurable goods was 33 percent in 2008. Nondurable goods generally last less than
three years. Paper products, such as newspapers and high-grade office papers were the most recycled
nondurable goods. Newspapers alone were recycled at a rate of nearly 88 percent. Approximately 71
percent of high-grade office papers and 40 percent of magazines were recovered. Forty-one percent of
unwanted mail, 30 percent of books, and 21 percent of telephone directories were recovered for recycling
in 2008 (see the supporting data tables). Clothing and other textile products are included in the nondu-
rable goods category. These products were recovered for recycling at a rate of almost 17 percent.
Overall, about 17 percent of durable goods were recovered in 2008. Nonferrous metals other than
aluminum had one of the highest recovery rates—around 69 percent—due to the high rate of lead
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recovery from lead-acid batteries. With a 99 percent
recycling rate, lead-acid batteries continue to be one
of the most recovered products. Recovery of steel in
all durable goods was 28 percent, with high rates of
recovery from appliances and other miscellaneous items.
Measured by percentage of generation, products with
the highest recovery rates in 2008 were lead-acid
batteries (99 percent), newspapers (88 percent),
corrugated boxes (77 percent), office-type papers (71
percent), major appliances (67 percent), steel packaging
(63 percent), yard trimmings (65 percent), aluminum
cans (48 percent), commercial printing papers (43
percent), standard mail (41 percent), magazines (40
percent), and paper bags and sacks (38 percent)
(see supporting 2008 data tables).
Recycling and Composting
Collection Programs**
• Approximately 8,660 curbside recycling
programs exist nationwide, down from
8,875 in 2002.
• About 3,510 community composting
programs are operational, an increase
from 3,227 in 2002.
Table 4. Generation, Materials Recovery, Composting, Combustion With Energy Recovery,
and Discards of MSW, 1960 to 2008 (in pounds per person per day)
Activity
Generation
Recovery for
recycling
Recovery for
composting*
Total Materials
Recovery
Combustion
with energy
recoveryt
Discards to
landfill, other
disposal*
Population
(millions)
1960
1970
2.68 3.25
0.17
0.22
Negligible Negligible
0.17
0.00
2.51
179.979
0.22
0.01
3.02
203.984
1980
1990
2000
2005
2007
2008
3.66 4.50 4.65 4.62 4.63 4.50
0.35
Negligible
0.35
0.07
3.24
227.255
0.64
0.09
0.73
0.65
3.12
249.907
1.03
0.32
1.35
0.66
2.64
281.422
1.08
0.38
1.46
0.58
2.58
296.410
1.14
0.39
1.53
0.58
2.52
301.621
1.10
0.40
1.50
0.57
2.43
304.060
* Composting of yard trimmings, food scraps, and other MSW organic material. Does not include backyard composting.
t Includes combustion of MSW in mass burn or refuse-derived fuel form, and combustion with energy recovery of source separated materials in MSW (e.g., wood
pallets, tire-derived fuel).
t Discards after recovery minus combustion with energy recovery. Discards include combustion without energy recovery.
Details might not add to totals due to rounding.
** Source: For 2002 data: fi/oCyc/e 2006.
For 2008 data: EPA, Supporting 2008 data tables and figures.
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Disposing of MSW Recydingjust, ton of a|uminum cans
While the number of U.S. landfills has steadily ., ->A-, .... n.
j T j , , jrn . , conserves more than 207 million Btu,
declined over the years, the average landfill size has
increased. At the national level, landfill capacity the equivalent of 36
appears to be sufficient, although it is limited in some barrels of Oil Or 1 665
areas.
gallons of gasoline.
• Since f 990, the total amount of MSW going to
landfills dropped by about 7 million tons, from f 42.3
million to f35.f million tons in 2008 (see Table 3).
• The net per capita discard rate (after recycling,
composting, and combustion for energy recovery) was
2.43 pounds per person per day, lower than the 2.5f per capita rate in f 960, when virtually no recycling
occurred in the United States (see Table 4).
The Benefits of Recycling
Recycling has environmental benefits at every stage in the life cycle of a consumer product—from the raw
material with which it's made to its final method of disposal. Aside from reducing GHG emissions, which
contribute to global warming, recycling also reduces air and water pollution associated with making new
products from raw materials. By utilizing used, unwanted, or obsolete materials as industrial feedstocks
or for new materials or products, we can each do our part to make recycling work.
Nationally, we recycled 83 million tons of MSW. This provides an annual benefit of f 82 million metric
tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions reduced, comparable to removing the emissions from 33
million passenger cars. But the ultimate benefits from recycling are cleaner land, air, and water, overall
better health, and a more sustainable economy.
Resources
The data summarized in this fact sheet characterizes
the MSW stream as a whole by using a materials flow Energy Recovered from
methodology that relies on a mass balance approach.
For example, to determine the amounts of paper
recycled, information is gathered on the amounts ' ln 2008< about 32 million tons of
processed by paper mills and made into new paper materials, or 12.7 percent, were
on a national basis, instead of counting paper
collected at curbside on a state-by-state basis. Using combusted for energy recovery.
data gathered from industry associations businesses, . M$w combustjon for ( ^
and government sources, such as the U.S. Department
of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau, we estimate remained fairly constant Since 1990.
tons of materials and products generated, recycled,
and discarded. Other sources of data, such as waste
characterizations and research reports performed by
governments, industry, or the press, supplement these data.
The benefits of recycling and composting, such as elimination of GHG emissions, are calculated using
EPA's WARM methodology. Please see:
www.epa.gov/warm
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WARM calculates and totals GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices—
source reduction, recycling, composting, combustion, and landfilling. The model calculates emissions
in metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE),
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E),
and energy units (million Btu) across a wide range \n percentage of total MSW generation,
of material types commonly found in MSW. EPA
developed GHG emissions reduction factors through recoverV for recVdin9 (including composting)
a life-cycle assessment methodology EPAs report, did not exceed 1 5 percent until 1990.
Solid Waste Management and Greenhouse Gases: A
Life-Cycle Assessment of Emissions and Sinks (EPA- Gr0wth in the reCOverV rate t0 Current
530-R-02-006), describes this methodology in detail levels (33.2 percent) reflects an increase
wwwepa.gov .n jnfrastruc|ure ancj mar|
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306P)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA-530-F-009-021
November 2009
www.epa.gov/wastes
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