The volume of different materials generated in the United States municipal solid waste stream has increased considerably since the 1960s. One of the most dramatic increases was observed in plastic waste generation, which grew from 6.8 million tons in 1980 to more than 35 million tons in 2018.
Paper waste in the United States
Municipal solid waste is commonly known as the garbage produced from everyday items from households, the commercial industry, and institutions. In total, the United States has increased its generation of municipal solid waste from 88.1 million tons in 1960 to some 292.4 million tons in 2018. Since the 1960s, municipal waste in the United States has been primarily paper and paperboard materials. In 2018, the North American country produced 67.4 million tons of paper and paperboard waste. The ability to recover paper and paperboard waste has steadily increased, surpassing a rate of 65 percent in recent years. However, a large portion of tissue products and retained documents are unrecoverable due to the thousands of chemicals contained within the fibers, which could contaminate newly manufactured paper products. Another fraction of paper waste is landfilled, despite being potentially recoverable. Lack of collection infrastructure, poor recycling habits, or low awareness are usually the main reasons why waste is not recovered.
Landfilled waste
Although the volume of recycled municipal solid waste has increased over the years, landfilling is still the main waste disposal method in the United States. Out of approximately 290 million tons of waste generated in 2018 in the North American country, roughly 146 million tons were landfilled. In comparison, only 69 million tons were recycled.
Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018, by material
(in 1,000 tons)
Waste generation before materials recovery or combustion; not including construction and demolition debris, industrial process waste, or certain other waste streams.
Supplementary notes
* In 2018, the food waste measurement methodology was expanded to include additional sources of generation and management pathways beyond
composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling.
** Miscellaneous inorganic waste includes soil, bits of concrete, and stones.
*** Other materials include electrolytes in batteries and fluff pulp, feces and urine in disposable diapers.
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Environmental Protection Agency. (December 3, 2022). Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018, by material (in 1,000 tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/185710/us-materials-generation-in-the-municipal-waste-stream-since-1960/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018, by material (in 1,000 tons)." Chart. December 3, 2022. Statista. Accessed August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/185710/us-materials-generation-in-the-municipal-waste-stream-since-1960/
Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018, by material (in 1,000 tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/185710/us-materials-generation-in-the-municipal-waste-stream-since-1960/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Municipal Solid Waste (Msw) Generation in The United States from 1960 to 2018, by Material (in 1,000 Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 3 Dec 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/185710/us-materials-generation-in-the-municipal-waste-stream-since-1960/
Environmental Protection Agency, Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018, by material (in 1,000 tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/185710/us-materials-generation-in-the-municipal-waste-stream-since-1960/ (last visited August 24, 2024)
Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018, by material (in 1,000 tons) [Graph], Environmental Protection Agency, December 3, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/185710/us-materials-generation-in-the-municipal-waste-stream-since-1960/