Recycling and composting rate lingers around 32 percent in US according to EPA data
Approximately 94 million tons of MSW recycled and composted in the U.S. in 2018
At the start of America Recycles Week, held November 15th-20th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an updated report which reveals a drop in the American recycling rate from 2017 to 2018. The report, Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures data on national municipal solid waste (MSW) and construction and demolition debris for the year 2018, puts the current U.S. recycling rate at 32 percent.
According to the report, the combined recycling and composting rate increased from less than 10 percent of generated MSW (trash) in 1980 to 35 percent in 2017, but then dipped to 32 percent, as measured in 2018. Specifically, in 2018, 292.4 million tons of MSW were generated. About 93.9 million tons of MSW were recycled and composted, resulting in a 32 percent recycling rate. An additional 17.7 million tons were managed through other food management pathways.
For the Facts and Figures data, EPA enhanced its food measurement methodology to more fully account for all the ways in which wasted food is managed throughout the food system. Finally, EPA added construction and demolition debris management data, so both generation and management of construction and demolition debris are included.
According to the EPA, by converting waste materials into valuable raw materials, recycling creates jobs, builds more competitive manufacturing industries, and significantly contributes to the U.S. economy.
"The environmental and economic benefits from recycling are clear, and we've made a lot of progress, but much more needs to be done to get our national recycling rate where it needs to be," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "Our America Recycles Network partnerships will usher in dramatic changes in U.S. recycling by improving aging infrastructure, developing secondary markets, and communicating recycling methods more effectively with the public."
On November 15, 2018, Administrator Wheeler convened the first-ever America Recycles Summit, which brought a wide array of industry, government, and non-profit leaders to the table to advance ideas and solutions to enhance the nation's recycling infrastructure, create new markets for recycled materials, and improve public education regarding recycling.
In 2019, the first-ever Innovation Fair connected the public as well as potential investors with recycling innovators, thereby spurring market development and adoption of new technologies that increase recycling rates as well as create new products comprised of post-recycled content.
The 2020 virtual EPA America Recycles Innovation Fair and Summit was held November 16th, and featured more than 40 exhibitors from across the recycling sector showcasing state-of-the-art products, services, outreach, and technologies.
