Trash and Recycling
Generated and Recycled by Material
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Trash Generated
The charts below represent all trash generated from 1960-2007 in the United States broken down by material.
The data is represented in thousands of tons.
Material |
1960 |
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
Paper and Paperboard
|
29,990 |
44,310 |
55,160 |
72,730 |
87,740 |
86,450 |
84,840 |
85,350 |
83,010 |
Glass
|
6,720 |
12,740 |
15,130 |
13,100 |
12,760 |
12,890 |
13,320 |
13,520 |
13,580 |
Metals
|
10,820 |
13,830 |
15,510 |
16,550 |
18,910 |
19,980 |
20,060 |
20,660 |
20,750 |
Plastics
|
390 |
2,900 |
6,830 |
17,130 |
25,540 |
29,480 |
29,240 |
29,810 |
30,730 |
Rubber and Leather
|
1,840 |
2,970 |
4,200 |
5,790 |
6,710 |
7,150 |
7,360 |
7,400 |
7,480 |
Textiles
|
1,760 |
2,040 |
2,530 |
5,810 |
9,440 |
10,980 |
11,380 |
11,870 |
11,920 |
Wood
|
3,030 |
3,720 |
7,010 |
12,210 |
13,110 |
13,890 |
14,080 |
14,100 |
14,210 |
Food
|
12,200 |
12,800 |
13,000 |
20,800 |
26,810 |
29,410 |
30,220 |
31,040 |
31,650 |
Yard Trimmings
|
20,000 |
23,200 |
27,500 |
35,000 |
30,530 |
31,770 |
32,070 |
32,400 |
32,630 |
Miscellaneous Inorganic Wastes
|
1,300 |
1,780 |
2,250 |
2,900 |
3,500 |
3,650 |
3,690 |
3,720 |
3,750 |
Other Materials
|
70 |
770 |
2,520 |
3,190 |
4,000 |
4,130 |
4,170 |
4,310 |
4,430 |
Trash Recycled
The charts below represent all trash recycled from 1960-2007 in the United States broken down by material.
The data is represented in thousands of tons.
Material |
1960 |
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
Paper and Paperboard
|
5,080 |
6,770 |
11,740 |
20,230 |
37,560 |
40,730 |
41,960 |
43,830 |
45,240 |
Glass
|
100 |
160 |
750 |
2,630 |
2,880 |
2,730 |
2,800 |
2,880 |
3,220 |
Metals
|
50 |
480 |
1,220 |
3,970 |
6,600 |
7,060 |
6,920 |
7,170 |
7,230 |
Plastics
|
0 |
0 |
20 |
370 |
1,480 |
1,720 |
1,760 |
2,050 |
2,090 |
Rubber and Leather
|
330 |
250 |
130 |
370 |
820 |
1,090 |
1,100 |
1,090 |
1,100 |
Textiles
|
50 |
60 |
160 |
660 |
1,320 |
1,780 |
1,850 |
1,880 |
1,900 |
Wood
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
130 |
1,240 |
1,290 |
1,310 |
1,310 |
1,320 |
Food
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
680 |
660 |
690 |
680 |
810 |
Yard Trimmings
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
4,200 |
15,770 |
19,810 |
19,860 |
20,100 |
20,900 |
Miscellaneous Inorganic Wastes
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Other Materials
|
0 |
300 |
500 |
680 |
980 |
1,120 |
1,140 |
1,170 |
1,160 |
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Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.
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Trash & Recycling By Durable Goods
View charts showing the trash generation and recycling rates of various durable goods
View Report >>
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