U.S. solid waste industry revenue 2000-2017
The solid waste industry in the United States generated 63.4 billion U.S. dollars of revenue in 2017. Municipal solid waste is more commonly known as the garbage produced by households and can include packaging, grass clippings, bottles, and newspapers. Material that is recovered from the waste stream can be recycled and composted, the remainder will end up in landfills. The average American generated 4.51 pounds of trash per day in 2017, an increase from 2.68 pounds per day in 1960. Food and other organic wastes made up the largest share of waste materials landfilled.
Waste streams
The municipal solid waste industry is highly regulated by public policies and regulations and is regionally dependent. The waste composition generated by different regions will require different waste management technologies. In the United States, paper and paperboard products account for the largest share of municipal solid waste. However, generation of paper products has declined as the consumption of newspaper and office papers have been reduced due to increased use of electronic records.
Waste streams
The municipal solid waste industry is highly regulated by public policies and regulations and is regionally dependent. The waste composition generated by different regions will require different waste management technologies. In the United States, paper and paperboard products account for the largest share of municipal solid waste. However, generation of paper products has declined as the consumption of newspaper and office papers have been reduced due to increased use of electronic records.
