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Recycling Facts & Figures by Material Type

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generated about 243 million tons of trash in 2009 and on average, recycled and composted 1.46 pounds of the estimated individual waste generation of 4.34 pounds per person per day. Recycling waste is one of the solutions to our environmental problems and a few facts can help shed some light on the problem.

  1. Electronic Waste

    • Electronic waste or e-waste includes things like computers, TVs, CRT monitors, cell phones, cartridges, light bulbs, radios, CDs, tapes, cameras, alarm clocks and computer peripherals like keyboards and mice. Statistics from the EPA reveal that the average American household has approximately 24 electronic products. E-waste contains many components, some of which are toxic. Some of the toxic components include heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury, PVC and brominated flame retardants.

    Glass

    • Glass waste come from many sources, but the majority of glass waste comes from food containers like bottles and jars. Making glass from recycled materials reduces energy because it takes a lot of energy to run a glass furnace. Recycling glass also reduces the need for raw materials like soda ash, limestone and sand. According to the EPA, glass makes up almost five percent of all municipal waste. About 22 percent of all glass containers are recycled annually in the United States.

    Paper

    • Recycling paper is important in order to protect the forests, and consequently, the ecosystems on which we depend. Forests produce oxygen and reduce atmospheric carbon, protect the soil from erosion and serve as a habitat for many creatures. According to the EPA, paper make up 31 percent of the average municipal waste in the U.S., and the average person recycles about 340 pounds of paper each year. The recycled paper can be used to produce things like tissue, newsprint, container board and other paper products. Producing a ton of paper from recycled products saves 17 trees and cuts energy consumption in half.

    Plastic

    • According to the EPA, the average residential trash bin is filled with approximately 12 percent plastics. The average plastic bag is not easily bio-degradable and takes about 1,000 years to dissolve in the environment. Americans throw away about 200 million plastic bags annually.

    Food and Yard Waste

    • Organic materials such as wood, food waste and yard clippings are a few examples of things that can be recycled. Food scraps and yard trimmings make up about 26 percent of the municipal waste in the U.S., while wood scraps make up about 6.6 percent of the trash. According to the EPA, Americans generate approximately 14 million tons of food waste, and 570,000 is composted for a 4.1 percent recovery rate.

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