The World's Annual Trash Recycling Efforts: An Overview

Recycling is an important way to reduce waste and protect natural resources. In the United States, 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste were generated in 2018. Of this, 94 million tons were recycled and composted, resulting in a 32.1% recycling rate. However, this means that 79% of recyclables are still trashed. While the recycling rate has increased by 457% since 1960, there is still a long way to go to reach the full potential of recycling.

The US recycles 32% of its waste

In 2018, the US generated 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), of which about 94 million tons were recycled and composted. This means that 67.2 million tons of a possible 267.8 million tons of waste were recycled, which is less than a quarter of the total.

The EPA estimates that around 75% of all waste is recyclable, and yet Americans throw away about 1,200 pounds of organic garbage each year. Each American produces about 4.51 pounds of trash in a single day, which equates to 728,000 tons of daily garbage generation. During the winter holiday season, about 25% more trash is generated, which is around 25 million tons.

Of the 38 million tons of plastic waste in the US every year, only 5-6% gets recycled. This is despite the fact that 85% of plastic waste from packaging ends up in landfills, and it takes around 450 years for a plastic bottle to degrade. Of the 79 million tons of paper waste in the US each year, around 63% gets recycled. Paper is typically the most recycled material in the US and accounts for half of all materials recycled by weight.

The EPA estimates 75% of waste is recyclable

The EPA estimates that 75% of all waste is recyclable. However, the reality is that only about 25% of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is recycled, with the rest being sent to landfill. This means that 79% of recyclables are trashed every year.

In 2018, the US generated 292.4 million tons of MSW, of which 94 million tons were recycled and composted. This resulted in a 32.1% recycling rate. This is a significant improvement from 1960, when the US recycled or composted less than 7% of its waste.

Despite these improvements, the US still lags behind other countries in terms of recycling rates. For example, Slovenia and Germany lead the world in the percentage of their waste composted or recycled, with rates of 76.64% and 69.32% respectively.

When it comes to specific materials, the recycling rates vary greatly. For example, of the 38 million tons of plastic waste in the US every year, only 5-6% is recycled. In contrast, paper is the most recycled material in the US, with around 63% of the 79 million tons of paper waste generated each year being recycled.

Overall, while the EPA estimates that a large proportion of waste is recyclable, the actual recycling rates are much lower. This highlights the need for improved recycling programs and policies to ensure that more waste is diverted from landfills and recycled instead.

Paper is the most recycled material in the US

In the United States, 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) were generated in 2018. Of this, 94 million tons were recycled and composted, resulting in a 32.1% recycling rate. This is a significant improvement from 1960 when the US recycled or composted less than 7% of its waste.

Paper recycling extends the supply of a valuable natural resource (wood fibre), saves landfill space, and avoids greenhouse gas emissions (methane) that are released when paper decomposes in landfills. Paper fibres that have been recycled so much that they can’t be made into new paper and packaging products are sometimes turned into moulded fibre products, like egg cartons or coolers.

Innovations in packaging design have also contributed to the high paper recovery rate. For example, some manufacturers have created folding cartons made of 30% recycled fibre that are compliant with US Food and Drug Administration guidelines for food contact. Approximately 80% of US paper and packaging mills use some recovered paper fibres in their products, and most corrugated boxes are made from 70% to 100% recycled material.

94% of Americans have access to recycling programmes

In the United States, 94% of Americans have some sort of recycling programme available to them. However, only 21% of the population lives in communities that provide access to curbside collection for all single-family and multi-family buildings.

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) found that 73% of the US population has access to curbside recycling programmes and 21% has access to drop-off programmes. Recycling access was most prevalent in the Northeast and least prevalent in the West, due in part to population density.

In 2018, 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) were generated in the US. About 94 million tons of MSW were recycled and composted, resulting in a 32.1% recycling rate. This is an improvement from 2013, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that Americans recycled or composted 1.51 pounds of waste per day, a figure that had changed little since 2006.

The EPA estimates that around 75% of all waste is recyclable. However, of the 38 million tons of plastic waste in the US every year, only 5-6% is recycled. In contrast, of the 79 million tons of paper waste in the US annually, around 63% is recycled. Paper is typically the most recycled material in the US and accounts for half of all materials recycled by weight.

The US recycles 5-6% of plastic waste

The US has a poor record when it comes to recycling. On average, Americans throw away about 1,200 pounds of organic garbage each year. In 2018, the US generated 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), of which only 94 million tons were recycled and composted, resulting in a 32.1% recycling rate. This is a significant improvement on 1960, when the US recycled or composted less than 7% of its waste, but it still falls far short of other countries' efforts. For example, Slovenia and Germany recycle or compost 76.64% and 69.32% of their waste, respectively.

The US's poor recycling record is particularly evident when it comes to plastic waste. Of the 38 million tons of plastic waste generated in the US each year, only 5-6% is recycled. This means that the vast majority of plastic waste ends up in landfills, where it can take up to 450 years to degrade.

The low recycling rate for plastic waste in the US is due in part to the fact that 36% of plastic produced is used for packaging. Of the 85% of plastic waste from packaging that ends up in landfills, much of it is not recyclable. In addition, the US lacks the infrastructure to effectively recycle plastic waste, with only 21% of residential recyclables being captured.

The US's failure to recycle plastic waste has significant environmental consequences. Plastic pollution contributes to ocean pollution, harms marine life, and releases toxic chemicals into the environment. It is therefore crucial that the US takes steps to improve its recycling rate for plastic waste.

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