10 Fast Facts on Recycling by the U.S. Government

The United States contributes about 30 percent of all the garbage annually produced in the world. According to zerowasteamerica.org, the U.S. government has no effective federal laws about recycling. The website also said recycling efforts are often spearheaded by state governments and local communities; however, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a federal government department, monitors recycling efforts.

Fact 1: Homes are the major source of waste

• According to the "Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States" report released by EPA, about 65 percent of the total trash produced in 2009 came from residential homes, with the remaining 35 percent coming from commercial establishments and other institutions. Most of this trash is composed of organic and recyclable materials.

Fact 2: Most waste products are recyclable

• Out of the 243 million tons of waste in 2009, paper and its related products accounted for about 28 percent. Another 28 percent are food wastes and yard trimmings. The remaining 44 percent is composed of plastic, metal, rubber, leather, textile, wood and glass.

Fact 3: Packaging materials are the highest waste contributor

• About 72 million tons, or 30 percent, of trash produced by the United States in 2009 came from packaging materials and containers. Packaging materials and containers include plastic, metal and paper.

Fact 4: The recycling rate of packaging materials is less than 50 percent

• Out of the 72 million tons of packaging materials produced, about 48 percent, or 34.5 million tons, was recycled. Steel and aluminum were the top recycled materials, while plastic and wood were the least recycled.

Fact 5: Durable and non-durable goods make up the second largest waste contributor

• Non-durable and durable goods follow packaging materials as the greatest waste contributor. Non-durable goods contributed 53 million tons, or 22 percent, of all waste materials, while durable goods contributed 47 million tons, or 19 percent. The other remaining waste materials came from food scraps, yard trimmings and other types of wastes.

Fact 6: The recycling rates of durable and non-durable goods are still low

• In 2009, the recycling rate of non-durable goods was at 35.3 percent, while durable goods only had 17.5 percent. The remaining waste contributors had a recycling rate of 33.8 percent. Durable goods include rubber, leather, metal, glass and textile. Non-durable goods -- items that last for less than three years -- also include plastics, rubber, leather and textile.

Fact 7: Recycling efforts are rising

• According to the EPA in 2011, "approximately 9,000 curbside recycling programs exist nationwide, up from 8,875 in 2002." Compared with previous years, this shows that more groups, local governments and institutions are focusing their attention on recycling.

Fact 8: Composting efforts are declining

• Although recycling efforts are steadily increasing, community programs composting organic materials -- such as yard trimmings and food scraps -- fell from 3,227 in 2002 to 3,000 in 2009. Compost is mainly used as an organic fertilizer.

Fact 9: Landfills are declining, but existing ones are expanding

• In 1990, waste materials directly going to landfills amounted to 145.3 million tons. This amount dropped by 13 million tons by 2009, with the total reaching 131.9 million tons. The number of landfills in the whole country also declined, although existing landfills are increasing in size.

Fact 10: Average waste production per person is declining

• During the 1960's, when few recycling efforts existed, an average American discarded around 2.51 pounds of waste per day. In 2009, this rate dropped to 2.36 pounds. This may seem a small change, but that difference means that a single person no longer throws around 55 pounds of waste in a year.