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U.S. municipal solid waste: per capita generation 1960-2015
U.S. municipal solid waste: per capita generation 1960-2015
Per capita municipal solid waste generation in the U.S. from 1960 to 2015 (in pounds per day)
This statistic shows the total amount of U.S. municipal solid waste generated per person per day between 1960 and 2015. In the United States, an average of 4.48 pounds of municipal solid waste were generated daily per person in 2015.
Municipal solid waste generation in the United States
Non-hazardous waste consists of industrial waste and municipal solid waste. Industrial waste is characterized as non-hazardous materials that are generated during the production of goods. Municipal solid waste is what is more commonly known as household trash and garbage. Since the 1960s, the volume of waste generated per person has steadily increased until 2000, when per-capita waste generation seemed to level off slightly. In 1960, municipal solid waste generation per person amounted to about 2.68 pounds per day, and from 2010 to 2015, this figure had leveled out to about 4.5 pounds per day.
The composition of household waste can vary widely between different municipalities. Areas with a well-developed recycling program generate mostly plastics and unrecyclable materials. In 2014, about 67.8 million tons of municipal solid waste were recovered for recycling in the United States. A large share of the municipal waste stream is derived from paper and paperboard materials, totaling about 68.1 million tons of waste in 2015. In 2015, about 31.2 million tons of packaging was recycled while 7 million tons were discarded into landfills. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency encourages waste prevention, recycling, and composting to reduce the volume of waste produced. Recycling and composting diverts a significant amount of waste away from landfills every year.
Per capita municipal solid waste generation in the U.S. from 1960 to 2015 (in pounds per day)
Loading statistic...
| Per capita generation in pounds per day | |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 4.48 |
| 2014 | 4.45 |
| 2010 | 4.45 |
| 2005 | 4.69 |
| 2000 | 4.74 |
| 1990 | 4.57 |
| 1980 | 3.66 |
| 1970 | 3.25 |
| 1960 | 2.68 |
| Per capita generation in pounds per day | |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 4.48 |
| 2014 | 4.45 |
| 2010 | 4.45 |
| 2005 | 4.69 |
| 2000 | 4.74 |
| 1990 | 4.57 |
| 1980 | 3.66 |
| 1970 | 3.25 |
| 1960 | 2.68 |
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This statistic shows the total amount of U.S. municipal solid waste generated per person per day between 1960 and 2015. In the United States, an average of 4.48 pounds of municipal solid waste were generated daily per person in 2015.
Municipal solid waste generation in the United States
Non-hazardous waste consists of industrial waste and municipal solid waste. Industrial waste is characterized as non-hazardous materials that are generated during the production of goods. Municipal solid waste is what is more commonly known as household trash and garbage. Since the 1960s, the volume of waste generated per person has steadily increased until 2000, when per-capita waste generation seemed to level off slightly. In 1960, municipal solid waste generation per person amounted to about 2.68 pounds per day, and from 2010 to 2015, this figure had leveled out to about 4.5 pounds per day.
The composition of household waste can vary widely between different municipalities. Areas with a well-developed recycling program generate mostly plastics and unrecyclable materials. In 2014, about 67.8 million tons of municipal solid waste were recovered for recycling in the United States. A large share of the municipal waste stream is derived from paper and paperboard materials, totaling about 68.1 million tons of waste in 2015. In 2015, about 31.2 million tons of packaging was recycled while 7 million tons were discarded into landfills. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency encourages waste prevention, recycling, and composting to reduce the volume of waste produced. Recycling and composting diverts a significant amount of waste away from landfills every year.
Show moreMunicipal solid waste generation in the United States
Non-hazardous waste consists of industrial waste and municipal solid waste. Industrial waste is characterized as non-hazardous materials that are generated during the production of goods. Municipal solid waste is what is more commonly known as household trash and garbage. Since the 1960s, the volume of waste generated per person has steadily increased until 2000, when per-capita waste generation seemed to level off slightly. In 1960, municipal solid waste generation per person amounted to about 2.68 pounds per day, and from 2010 to 2015, this figure had leveled out to about 4.5 pounds per day.
The composition of household waste can vary widely between different municipalities. Areas with a well-developed recycling program generate mostly plastics and unrecyclable materials. In 2014, about 67.8 million tons of municipal solid waste were recovered for recycling in the United States. A large share of the municipal waste stream is derived from paper and paperboard materials, totaling about 68.1 million tons of waste in 2015. In 2015, about 31.2 million tons of packaging was recycled while 7 million tons were discarded into landfills. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency encourages waste prevention, recycling, and composting to reduce the volume of waste produced. Recycling and composting diverts a significant amount of waste away from landfills every year.
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- Release date
- July 2018
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1960 to 2015
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- Release date
- July 2018
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- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1960 to 2015
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Statistics on "Municipal Solid Waste in the U.S."
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- Per capita municipal solid waste generation in the U.S. from 1960 to 2015 (in pounds per day)U.S. municipal solid waste: per capita generation 1960-2015
- Generation of selected materials in the U.S. municipal waste stream between 1960 and 2015 (in 1,000 tons)U.S. municipal waste stream: materials generation 1960-2015
- Distribution of municipal waste stream generated in the United States in 2015, by materialU.S. municipal waste stream generation share by material 2015
- Volume of paper and paperboard landfilled in the United States from 1993 to 2017 (in million metric tons)U.S. paper and paperboard landfilled 1993-2017
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- Rate of metals recovered from municipal solid waste in the United States from 1990 to 2015, by typeU.S. metal recovery rate - recovered from municipal solid waste 2015
- Recycling of paper and paperboard from U.S. municipal solid waste in 2015, by type (in 1,000 tons)Recycling of paper and paperboard from U.S. municipal solid waste by type 2015
- Plastics found in products in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream in 2015, by category (in 1,000 tons)U.S. municipal solid waste: plastics generation by category 2015
- Rate of plastic bottles recycling in the U.S. in 2017, by material typeU.S. plastic bottle recycling rates by material type 2017
- Amount of food scraps, yard trimmings and other waste generated in U.S. municipal solid waste in 2015 (in million tons)U.S. food scraps, yard trimmings and other MSW waste generated 2015
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- Waste Management's operating revenue from FY 2007 to FY 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)*U.S. environmental industry: Waste Management's revenue 2007-2018
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Statistics on "Municipal Solid Waste in the U.S."
- U.S. municipal solid waste generation from 1960 to 2015 (in million tons)
- Per capita municipal solid waste generation in the U.S. from 1960 to 2015 (in pounds per day)
- Generation of selected materials in the U.S. municipal waste stream between 1960 and 2015 (in 1,000 tons)
- Distribution of municipal waste stream generated in the United States in 2015, by material
- Volume of paper and paperboard landfilled in the United States from 1993 to 2017 (in million metric tons)
- Amount of municipal solid waste recovered in the U.S. in 2015, by material (in of million tons)
- Recovery of U.S. municipal solid waste for recycling from 1960 to 2015 (in million tons)
- U.S. municipal solid waste recovered for recycling from 1960 to 2015 (in pounds per person per day)
- Selected materials recovered from products in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream between 1960 and 2015, by material (in 1,000 tons)
- Materials recycled and composted from U.S. municipal solid waste from 1960 to 2015 (in million tons)
- Percentage of U.S. municipal solid waste recovered for recycling from 1960 to 2015
- Share of consumers who participate in recycling in the United States 2017, by age group*
- Rate of metals recovered from municipal solid waste in the United States from 1990 to 2015, by type
- Recycling of paper and paperboard from U.S. municipal solid waste in 2015, by type (in 1,000 tons)
- Plastics found in products in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream in 2015, by category (in 1,000 tons)
- Rate of plastic bottles recycling in the U.S. in 2017, by material type
- Amount of food scraps, yard trimmings and other waste generated in U.S. municipal solid waste in 2015 (in million tons)
- Which types of waste would you like to be able to recycle?*
- Revenue of the solid waste industry in the United States from 2000 to 2016 (in billion U.S. dollars)*
- Market share of the waste management industry revenues in the United States in 2016, by sector
- Waste Management's operating revenue from FY 2007 to FY 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)*
- Republic Services' revenue from FY 2010 to FY 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)*
- Clean Harbors' global revenue from FY 2005 to FY 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)
- Share of U.S. municipal solid waste recycled and composted from 1960 to 2014
- Volume of material recycled from municipal solid waste in Texas in 2015, by material type (in tons)
- Municipal solid waste discards to landfill in California from 1995 to 2017 (in million tons)
- Volume of solid waste exported from California from 1995 to 2017 (in 1,000 tons)*
- Percentage of glass in total discarded municipal solid waste in the U.S. from 1960 to 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste discards to landfill from 1960 to 2014 (in million tons)*
- Recovery of food scraps, yard trimmings and other wastes as a percentage of total U.S. municipal solid waste generation in 2014
- U.S. municipal solid waste combustion with energy recovery from 1970 to 2014 (in million tons)
- Percentage of metals in total U.S. municipal solid waste discards from 1960 to 2014
- Material recovery from municipal waste in G8 countries* between 1995 and 2009
- Forecast of the composition of municipal waste in OECD member states in 2025
- Recycling rate of municipal waste in Estonia from 2009 to 2014 (in percentage)
- Recycling rate of municipal waste in Hungary from 2009 to 2014 (in percentage)
- Recycling rate of municipal waste in Finland from 2009 to 2014 (in percentage)
- Per capita food loss and waste in the supply chain in Canada in 2017, by stage (in kilograms)*
- Final disposal volume of municipal waste in Japan in fiscal year 2014, by region (in 1,000 tons)
- Generation of hazardous waste in the European Union (EU) in 2016, by category (in million tons)
- U.S. hazardous waste generation in leading states in 2011, by state (in 1,000 tons)
- Percentage of the urban population in China with access to tap water in 2017, by region
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