Plastic packaging municipal waste recycling rate in the U.S. 1980-2018, by product
The recycling rate of municipal plastic packaging and container products in the U.S. has increased significantly since plastic recycling first started in the 1970s. PET bottles are one of the most widely recycled plastic products in the U.S., and between 1980 and 1990 the recycling rate of these products increased from 3.8 percent to 32.6 percent. However, in recent years the recycling rate of PET bottles and jars has slowed down, staying at around 29 percent since 2010.
