Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Characterization Data for

the United States

2008

Municipal Solid Waste Generation in 2008 250 Million Tons

Paper 31.0%

Glass 4.9%Metals 8.4%

Plastics 12.0%

Other 3.3%

Food Scraps 12.7%

Yard Trimmings 13.2 %

Wood 6.6%

Rubber, leather, and textiles 7.9%

EPA 2008 Facts and Figures

Products Generated in MSW, 2008

Other Wastes 1.5%

Containers & Packaging 30.8%

Nondurable Goods 23.5%

Food Scraps 12.7%

Yard Trimmings 13.2%

Durable Goods 18.3%

250 million tons before recycling

Commodity Recycling Trends1970 1980 1990 2000 2009

Paper and paperboard 15% 21% 28% 43% 56%

Glass 1% 5% 20% 23% 23%

Metals 4% 8% 24% 35% 35%

Plastics Neg. <1% 2% 6% 7%

Yard trimmings Neg. Neg. 12% 52% 65%

Rubber tires 13% 6% 12% 26% 35%

Lead-acid batteries 76% 70% 97% 93% 99%

Neg. = less than 5,000 tons or 0.05 percent.

How Waste is Managed

• Land Disposal

54.2%• Combustion

12.6%• Recovery

33.2%

Combustion12.6%

MSW Management in the U.S.

Recovery33.2%

Land Disposal54.2%

For more information

Please contact:

Hope Pillsbury

U.S. EPA

Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

Pillsbury.Hope@epa.gov

(703) 308-7258