U.S. plastic waste generation totaled 35.7 million tons, of which approximately 27 million tons was disposed of at landfill sites.
While the volume of plastic waste that is recycled has increased significantly since the 1980's, just 3.09 million tons was recycled in 2018.
In the United States, the vast majority of plastic in the municipal solid waste stream is landfilled. In 2018, Volume of plastic in municipal solid waste stream in the U.S. from 1960 to 2018, by disposal method (in 1,000 tons)
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Other statistics that may interest you Waste management in Italy
Waste production
4
Waste sorting
5
- Premium Statistic Municipal waste subject to sorted collection in Italy 2013-2022
- Basic Statistic Per capita municipal waste sorted in Italy 2022, by type
- Basic Statistic Municipal biodegradable waste sorted in Italy 2012-2022
- Premium Statistic Share of municipal waste subject to sorted collection in Italy 2022, by region
- Premium Statistic Share of sorted waste out of total waste in main Italian cities 2019-2022
Waste disposal
6
- Premium Statistic Treatment of municipal solid urban waste in Italy 2022, by method
- Premium Statistic Municipal organic waste sent for biological treatment in Italy 2007-2022
- Premium Statistic Collected municipal waste sent to landfill in Italy 2012-2022
- Basic Statistic Landfilled municipal waste in Italy 2015-2022, by region
- Basic Statistic Municipal waste incineration volume in Italy 2013-2022
- Basic Statistic Municipal waste incinerated in Italy 2022, by region
Special waste
7
- Premium Statistic Production of special waste in Italy 2005-2021
- Premium Statistic Production of special waste in Italy 2013-2021, by type
- Premium Statistic Special waste management in Italy in 2021, by method
- Premium Statistic Amount of special waste in Italy 2021, by management strategy
- Premium Statistic Special waste management plants in Italy 2021, by type
- Premium Statistic Recovered special waste in Italy 2016-2021
- Premium Statistic Special waste disposal in Italy 2016-2021
Waste trade
5
- Basic Statistic Municipal waste export volume in Italy 2017-2022
- Premium Statistic Export volume of municipal waste in Italy 2022, by type
- Premium Statistic Amount of special waste exported from Italy 2021, by country of destination
- Premium Statistic Amount of special waste imported to Italy 2010-2021
- Premium Statistic Amount of special waste imported to Italy 2021, by country of origin
Waste recycling
5
- Premium Statistic Municipal solid waste sent for recycling in Italy 2012-2022
- Premium Statistic Recycling of municipal waste in Italy 2009-2021
- Premium Statistic Share of municipal solid waste sent for recycling in Italy 2009-2021, by type
- Premium Statistic Share of paper packaging intended for recycling in Italy 2014-2022
- Premium Statistic Recycling rate of plastic packaging waste in Italy 2013-2022
Waste management activities
4
- Premium Statistic Revenue of remediation activities and waste management in Italy 2010-2020
- Basic Statistic Turnover of the waste collection industry in Italy 2011-2022
- Premium Statistic Revenue of waste management in Italy 2020, by sector
- Premium Statistic Leading waste management companies in Italy 2021, by revenue
Further related statistics
9
- Per capita municipal solid waste recycled in the U.S. 1960-2018
- Household food and drink waste cost distribution in the UK 2012, by food group
- Global revenue of the chemical industry 2017-2022, by region
- Global primary energy consumption 2022, by country
- Value of chemical exports: North America 2005-2018
- Forecast in global carbon composite revenue for automotive market 2013-2022
- Revenues of carbon composites in sport and leisure market worldwide 2013
- Forecast in global carbon composite revenues for aerospace and defense 2013-2022
- Active duty U.S. Marine Corps personnel numbers from 1995 to 2010
Further Content: You might find this interesting as well
Statistics
- Per capita municipal solid waste recycled in the U.S. 1960-2018
- Household food and drink waste cost distribution in the UK 2012, by food group
- Global revenue of the chemical industry 2017-2022, by region
- Global primary energy consumption 2022, by country
- Value of chemical exports: North America 2005-2018
- Forecast in global carbon composite revenue for automotive market 2013-2022
- Revenues of carbon composites in sport and leisure market worldwide 2013
- Forecast in global carbon composite revenues for aerospace and defense 2013-2022
- Active duty U.S. Marine Corps personnel numbers from 1995 to 2010
Environmental Protection Agency. (January 23, 2021). Volume of plastic in municipal solid waste stream in the U.S. from 1960 to 2018, by disposal method (in 1,000 tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/946227/disposal-of-us-plastic-waste-weight/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Volume of plastic in municipal solid waste stream in the U.S. from 1960 to 2018, by disposal method (in 1,000 tons)." Chart. January 23, 2021. Statista. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/946227/disposal-of-us-plastic-waste-weight/
Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Volume of plastic in municipal solid waste stream in the U.S. from 1960 to 2018, by disposal method (in 1,000 tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 13, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/946227/disposal-of-us-plastic-waste-weight/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Volume of Plastic in Municipal Solid Waste Stream in The U.S. from 1960 to 2018, by Disposal Method (in 1,000 Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 23 Jan 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/946227/disposal-of-us-plastic-waste-weight/
Environmental Protection Agency, Volume of plastic in municipal solid waste stream in the U.S. from 1960 to 2018, by disposal method (in 1,000 tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/946227/disposal-of-us-plastic-waste-weight/ (last visited June 13, 2024)
Volume of plastic in municipal solid waste stream in the U.S. from 1960 to 2018, by disposal method (in 1,000 tons) [Graph], Environmental Protection Agency, January 23, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/946227/disposal-of-us-plastic-waste-weight/