In 2021, an estimated 40.1 to 51 million tons of plastic waste were generated in the United States. For both these estimates, just 2.4 million tons were of that amount were recycled, accounting for between five and six percent of total plastic waste managed. The majority of U.S. plastic waste is landfilled, with between 32 and 43 million tons sent to landfill sites in 2021. This accounted for more than 80 percent of plastic waste management that year.
Plastic waste management in the United States in 2018 with estimates for 2021, by method and scenario
(in million tons)
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Plastic waste management in the United States in 2018 with estimates for 2021, by method and scenario
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Beyond Plastics, & The Last Beach Cleanup. (May 4, 2022). Plastic waste management in the United States in 2018 with estimates for 2021, by method and scenario (in million tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339439/plastic-waste-management-by-method-us/
Beyond Plastics, und The Last Beach Cleanup. "Plastic waste management in the United States in 2018 with estimates for 2021, by method and scenario (in million tons)." Chart. May 4, 2022. Statista. Accessed April 29, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339439/plastic-waste-management-by-method-us/
Beyond Plastics, The Last Beach Cleanup. (2022). Plastic waste management in the United States in 2018 with estimates for 2021, by method and scenario (in million tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: April 29, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339439/plastic-waste-management-by-method-us/
Beyond Plastics, and The Last Beach Cleanup. "Plastic Waste Management in The United States in 2018 with Estimates for 2021, by Method and Scenario (in Million Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 4 May 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339439/plastic-waste-management-by-method-us/
Beyond Plastics & The Last Beach Cleanup, Plastic waste management in the United States in 2018 with estimates for 2021, by method and scenario (in million tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339439/plastic-waste-management-by-method-us/ (last visited April 29, 2025)
Plastic waste management in the United States in 2018 with estimates for 2021, by method and scenario (in million tons) [Graph], Beyond Plastics, & The Last Beach Cleanup, May 4, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339439/plastic-waste-management-by-method-us/
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