Maya Ellison
The world generates 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually, with high-income countries contributing 34% of this waste despite accounting for only 16% of the world's population. In 2015, it was estimated that 20% of global plastic waste was recycled, with 55% discarded and 25% incinerated. However, a study from 2018 suggests that only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled, with the vast majority (79%) accumulating in landfills or sloughing off in the natural environment as litter. This calls for a comprehensive global approach to plastic waste management, including rethinking plastic chemistry, product design, recycling strategies, and consumer use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Global waste generated annually | 2.01 billion tons |
| Municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in 2018 | 292.4 million tons |
| Percentage of MSW recycled in 2018 | 32.1% |
| Percentage of MSW composted in 2018 | 8.6% |
| Percentage of MSW combusted with energy recovery in 2018 | 11.8% |
| Percentage of MSW landfilled in 2018 | 50% |
| Percentage of plastic waste recycled | 9% |
| UK household waste recycling rate in 2022 | 44.1% |
| England household waste recycling rate in 2022 | 43.4% |
| Northern Ireland household waste recycling rate in 2022 | 49.2% |
| Scotland household waste recycling rate in 2022 | 42.1% |
| Wales household waste recycling rate in 2022 | 56.9% |
| Highest UK recycling rate achieved in 2023 (paper and cardboard) | 73.4% |
| US ranking in recycling | Behind Europe (30%) and China (25%) |
| US recycling rate since 2012 | 9% |
| Waste generation in low-income countries | 57% |
| Waste generation in middle-income countries | 53% |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic recycling rates
Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). Containers and packaging are the categories with the most plastic tonnage, with over 14.5 million tons in 2018. This category includes bags, sacks, wraps, and other packaging.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the US has a combined recycling rate of only 32% for materials including glass, plastic, cardboard, and paper. However, a report by The Last Beach Clean Up and Beyond Plastics documented a recycling rate of just 5-6% for post-consumer plastic waste in the US in 2021. This is in contrast to paper, which is recycled at a much higher rate of 66% in 2020.
The low recycling rate for plastic is concerning, as plastic is not as easily biodegradable as other materials. According to National Geographic, about 91% of plastic does not get recycled, and only around 9% is recycled. Of the plastic that is recycled, most is downcycled, meaning it becomes less useful over time until it is no longer recyclable. This results in a significant amount of plastic waste ending up in landfills, with an estimated 12 billion metric tons of plastic expected to be in landfills globally by 2050.
While the overall recycling rate for plastic is relatively low, the recycling rates for specific types of plastic containers are higher. For example, the recycling rate for PET bottles and jars was 29.1% in 2018, and the rate for HDPE natural bottles was 29.3% in the same year. Additionally, the recycling rate for plastic bags, sacks, and wraps was 10% in 2018.
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Paper and cardboard recycling rates
Paper and cardboard are some of the most highly recycled materials in the United States. In 2022, the paper recycling rate was nearly 68%, with the rate for cardboard boxes (old corrugated containers or OCC) at more than 93%. This amounts to nearly 50 million tons of paper and 33 million tons of cardboard. The paper recycling rate has doubled since the 1990s, when the industry voluntarily set a goal to improve paper recycling.
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) calculates an effective rate alongside the traditional recycling rate to provide a clear picture of the amount of paper and paperboard available for recovery in the U.S. The 2022 effective recycling rate for total paper was 73-78%, while the effective rate for OCC was approximately 80-85%.
Paper and paperboard products made up the largest percentage of all materials in municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2018, at 23.1% of the total. The generation of paper and paperboard has decreased since 2000, from 87.7 million tons in 2000 to 67.4 million tons in 2018.
While the United States has made significant progress in recycling paper and cardboard, it lags behind Europe (30% recycling rate) and China (25%) in overall recycling rates. Lower-income countries, in general, rely more on open dumping, with 93% of waste dumped in these countries. Only 2% of waste is dumped in high-income countries, which have higher rates of diversion to recycling and composting (36%) and incineration (22%).
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Municipal solid waste recycling rates
Municipal solid waste (MSW) refers to common household waste, as well as office and retail waste, and excludes industrial, hazardous, and construction waste. The handling and disposal of MSW is a growing concern as the volume of waste generated, particularly in the US, continues to increase. In 2018, the total generation of MSW in the US was 292.4 million tons, or 4.9 pounds per person per day. This was an increase of 34% per capita since 1980.
The recycling and composting rates of MSW have mostly increased over the last 58 years. In 2018, the total amount of MSW recycled was 69 million tons, and the amount composted was 24.9-25 million tons. Together, the US recycled and composted almost 94 million tons of MSW, equivalent to a 32.1% recycling and composting rate.
The generation of paper and paperboard, the largest material component of MSW, has decreased from 87.7 million tons in 2000 to 67.4 million tons in 2018. However, the generation of yard trimmings and food waste has increased since 2000. Yard trimmings composting has seen a significant increase, from a negligible rate in 1980 to 63% in 2018. Food composting has also increased, from 2.2% in 2000 to 6.3% in 2017, although it decreased to 4.1% in 2018 due to a change in methodology.
The US recycling rate of 32.1% in 2018 is behind Europe (30%) and China (25%), and has slowed down in recent years with little change since 2010. However, households with a recycling pickup service generate 42% less waste than those without, and households that take their recycling to a drop-off center generate 26% less waste. In 2018, highly recycled products in the US included corrugated boxes (97%), lead-acid batteries (99%), newspapers (65%), major appliances (60%), and aluminum beverage cans (50%).
On a global level, the world generates 2.01 billion tons of MSW annually, with at least 33% of that not managed in an environmentally safe manner. High-income countries, which account for 16% of the world's population, generate about 34% of the world's waste. Lower-income countries rely more on open dumping, with 93% of waste dumped in these countries, compared to only 2% in high-income countries.
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Food waste recycling rates
Food waste is a significant issue, with America throwing away nearly 60 million tons of food annually, which is almost 40% of the entire US food supply. The restaurant industry in the US spends an estimated $162 billion each year on food waste, with large portion sizes being a contributing factor.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that the total generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2018 was 292.4 million tons, or 4.9 pounds per person per day. Of this, 69 million tons were recycled, and 25 million tons were composted. This amounts to a total of 94 million tons of MSW recycled and composted, which is a 32.1% recycling and composting rate. However, the EPA's methodology changed in 2018 to include additional wasted food management pathways, which resulted in an increase in the wasted food generation estimate and a lower composting rate of 4.1%.
The EPA's data shows that recycling and composting rates have increased over the last 58 years. In 1960, recycling and composting rates were just over 6% of MSW generated, increasing to about 10% in 1980, 16% in 1990, and 29% in 2000. The rate peaked at about 35% in 2017 before decreasing to 32.1% in 2018 due to the change in methodology.
While these rates reflect overall waste recycling and composting, specific food waste recycling rates are also improving. Food composting was negligible in 1990, rising to 2.2% (680,000 tons) in 2000, 5.3% (2.1 million tons) in 2015, and 6.3% (2.6 million tons) in 2017.
Some US states are taking action to reduce food waste and improve recycling rates. For example, Vermont's "Universal Recycling Law," enacted in July 2020, banned food scrap waste, resulting in a 40% increase in food donations statewide.
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Country-wise recycling rates
While it is difficult to estimate the total amount of waste recycled in the United States, sources suggest that the country's combined recycling rate is around 32%. This includes materials such as glass, plastic, cardboard, and paper, collected from industrial, commercial, and residential trash. However, a study focusing on residential recycling indicates that the recycling rate may be even lower at the household level.
In contrast, several European countries are known for their high recycling rates. Germany, for instance, has the highest recycling rate in the world, recycling about 56% of its waste. Austria, another European country, takes second place with a recycling rate of approximately 54%. Austria's impressive performance is partly due to its strict legislation banning certain products with high organic carbon emission rates from landfills.
South Korea, an Asian country, also boasts a notable recycling rate of approximately 53.7%. The country's success can be attributed to its efficient waste management system, which includes private companies that collect, recycle, and sell waste for profit.
It's worth noting that recycling rates can vary depending on the type of material being recycled. For example, metal fares better than plastic in terms of recycling, with around 69% of crude steel in the US in 2019 being made from recycled material. Worldwide, the number was approximately 32%, amounting to 490.98 million metric tons of recycled steel. Similarly, glass is much easier to recycle than plastic, and in 2018, the EPA estimated that around 3.1 million tons of glass were recycled, representing about 31.3% of all glass containers thrown away in the US that year.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2018, the US recycled and composted about 94 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), resulting in a 32.1% recycling rate.
Europe does a better job of recycling than most other parts of the world. Germany, for example, has the highest global recycling rate, recycling about 56% of its waste. Austria, another European country, has the second-highest global recycling rate at approximately 54%.
In 2018, the recycling rate for plastic bags, sacks, and wraps was 10%.
In low-income countries, materials that could be recycled only account for 20% of the waste stream. 93% of waste is dumped in these countries.
