Price of landfilling municipal waste in the U.S. 2022-2023, by region

The average municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill tipping fee in the United States decreased 2.8 percent in 2023 to 56.8 U.S. dollars per ton. Average landfill tipping fees were highest in the Northeast, at 83.44 U.S. dollars per ton. U.S. landfill sites are regulated by each state’s environmental agency which, in turn, follows the guidelines set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Landfill sites in the U.S.

The number of landfills in the U.S has dropped dramatically in the last few decades, to 1,269 units in 2018. The largest landfill site in the U.S is the Apex Regional, located in Las Vegas, Nevada. This dump site has a capacity for nearly one billion tons of waste and stretches for more than 2,000 acres. 

Waste generation

As of 2018, MSW generation in the U.S. stood at almost 300 million tons, with the average American producing roughly five pounds of municipal solid waste per day. This is more than any other country produces worldwide. Waste generation in the U.S. has increased dramatically since the 1960s as a result of increased consumerism and a "throwaway culture".