Of the 82.2 million tons of containers and packaging municipal solid waste generated in the U.S. in 2018, 53.9 percent was recycled. This is a notable increase compared with the recycling rate of containers and packaging in 1990, which was 26 percent.
Share of containers and packaging recycled in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream from 1960 to 2018*
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Statistics on Recycling in the U.S.
Overview
5
- Premium Statistic Global recycling rates of municipal solid waste 2020, by select country
- Premium Statistic Market value of waste recycling services worldwide 2020-2030
- Basic Statistic Municipal solid waste generation in the U.S. 1960-2018
- Basic Statistic U.S. municipal waste stream: materials generation 1960-2018
- Premium Statistic U.S. households with access to curbside recycling services 2019, by type
Generation
5
- Basic Statistic Recycling of municipal solid waste in the U.S. 1960-2018
- Premium Statistic U.S. composting of municipal solid waste generated 1990-2018
- Premium Statistic U.S. municipal solid waste recycling per person 1960-2018
- Premium Statistic Recycled municipal solid waste in the U.S. 1960-2018, by material
- Premium Statistic Breakdown of curbside recyclable trash generation per U.S. household 2019, by type
Segments
7
- Basic Statistic Breakdown of MSW recycled in the U.S. 2018, by material
- Premium Statistic Recycling of paper and paperboard from U.S. municipal solid waste 2018, by type
- Basic Statistic Volume of plastic MSW recycled in the U.S. 2018, by type
- Premium Statistic U.S. sourced post-consumer plastic recovered for recycling 2019-2020, by category
- Premium Statistic Share of recycled-non bottle rigid plastic in the U.S. 2020, by source
- Premium Statistic Plastic containers and packaging MSW recycled in the U.S. 1980-2018
- Premium Statistic Plastic packaging MSW recycled in the U.S. 1980-2018, by product
Recycling rates
7
- Basic Statistic Recycling rate of municipal solid waste in the United States 1960-2018
- Premium Statistic Recycling rates in the U.S. by select product 2018
- Basic Statistic Recycling rate of paper in the United States 1990-2021
- Premium Statistic Share of containers and packaging MSW recycled in U.S. 1960-2018
- Premium Statistic Recycled rate of metals in the U.S. 2019, by type
- Premium Statistic Recycling rate of plastic municipal solid waste in the U.S. 1960-2018
- Premium Statistic Plastic packaging MSW recycling rates in the U.S. 1980-2018, by product
Companies
6
- Premium Statistic Leading waste management companies in the United States 2022, by revenue
- Basic Statistic Waste Management Inc's recycling revenue 2015-2022
- Premium Statistic Waste Management Inc.'s recycled materials 2021, by type
- Premium Statistic Recycling revenue of Waste Connections, Inc. 2015-2021
- Basic Statistic Revenue of Republic Services' recycling processing and commodity sales 2016-2021
- Premium Statistic U.S. sourced post-consumer plastic purchased by U.S. and Canada 2019, by category
Further related statistics
20
- U.S. municipal solid waste - containers and packaging recovered 2013
- U.S. municipal solid waste - percentage of materials recovered 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste - containers and packaging generated 2013
- U.S. municipal solid waste combustion with energy recovery 1970-2014
- Percentage of U.S. municipal solid waste discards to landfill 1960-2014
- U.S. food scraps, yard trimmings and other MSW waste generated 2018
- U.S. municipal solid waste - nondurable goods generated 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste: share of materials recovered 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste combustion with energy recovery 1970-2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste - discards to landfill and other disposal 1960-2014
- Material recovery from municipal waste in G8 countries
- U.S. material recovery facility throughput by region 2018
- U.S. municipal solid waste - durable goods recovery 2014
- Share of U.S. municipal solid waste recovered 1960-2014
- MSW recycled and composted in the U.S. 1960-2018
- Industry revenue of “other paperboard container manufacturing“ in Washington 2012-2024
- Industry revenue of “paperboard container manufacturing“ in Ohio 2012-2024
- Industry revenue of “paperboard container manufacturing“ in Florida 2012-2024
- Industry revenue of “other paperboard container manufacturing“ in Texas 2012-2024
- Share of fat intake in urban adults in central India FY 2016, by food group
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Statistics
- U.S. municipal solid waste - containers and packaging recovered 2013
- U.S. municipal solid waste - percentage of materials recovered 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste - containers and packaging generated 2013
- U.S. municipal solid waste combustion with energy recovery 1970-2014
- Percentage of U.S. municipal solid waste discards to landfill 1960-2014
- U.S. food scraps, yard trimmings and other MSW waste generated 2018
- U.S. municipal solid waste - nondurable goods generated 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste: share of materials recovered 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste combustion with energy recovery 1970-2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste - discards to landfill and other disposal 1960-2014
- Material recovery from municipal waste in G8 countries
- U.S. material recovery facility throughput by region 2018
- U.S. municipal solid waste - durable goods recovery 2014
- Share of U.S. municipal solid waste recovered 1960-2014
- MSW recycled and composted in the U.S. 1960-2018
- Industry revenue of “other paperboard container manufacturing“ in Washington 2012-2024
- Industry revenue of “paperboard container manufacturing“ in Ohio 2012-2024
- Industry revenue of “paperboard container manufacturing“ in Florida 2012-2024
- Industry revenue of “other paperboard container manufacturing“ in Texas 2012-2024
- Share of fat intake in urban adults in central India FY 2016, by food group
Environmental Protection Agency. (January 23, 2021). Share of containers and packaging recycled in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream from 1960 to 2018* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 01, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/186335/us-municipal-solid-waste-containers-and-packaging-recovered-in-2009/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Share of containers and packaging recycled in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream from 1960 to 2018*." Chart. January 23, 2021. Statista. Accessed April 01, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/186335/us-municipal-solid-waste-containers-and-packaging-recovered-in-2009/
Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Share of containers and packaging recycled in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream from 1960 to 2018*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: April 01, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/186335/us-municipal-solid-waste-containers-and-packaging-recovered-in-2009/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Share of Containers and Packaging Recycled in The U.S. Municipal Solid Waste Stream from 1960 to 2018*." Statista, Statista Inc., 23 Jan 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/186335/us-municipal-solid-waste-containers-and-packaging-recovered-in-2009/
Environmental Protection Agency, Share of containers and packaging recycled in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream from 1960 to 2018* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/186335/us-municipal-solid-waste-containers-and-packaging-recovered-in-2009/ (last visited April 01, 2023)
Share of containers and packaging recycled in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream from 1960 to 2018* [Graph], Environmental Protection Agency, January 23, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/186335/us-municipal-solid-waste-containers-and-packaging-recovered-in-2009/