| Per capita | |||||||||
| Materials | Recovery for | Recovery for | Net | Com- | Discards to | Waste | Discards after | ||
| Year | generation 1 | recycling | composting2 | discards | bustion | landfills | generation | recovery | |
| million tons | pounds per person per day | ||||||||
| 1960 | 88.1 | 5.6 | ** | 82.5 | 27.0 | 55.5 | 2.68 | 2.51 | |
| 1970 | 121.1 | 8.0 | ** | 113.0 | 25.1 | 87.9 | 3.25 | 3.04 | |
| 1980 | 151.6 | 14.5 | ** | 137.1 | 13.7 | 123.4 | 3.66 | 3.31 | |
| 1990 | 205.2 | 29.0 | 4.2 | 172.0 | 31.9 | 140.1 | 4.50 | 3.77 | |
| 1994 | 214.2 | 42.2 | 8.5 | 163.6 | na | na | 4.50 | 3.44 | |
| 1995 | 211.4 | 45.3 | 9.6 | 156.5 | 35.5 | 120.9 | 4.40 | 3.26 | |
| 1996 | 209.2 | 46.4 | 10.9 | 151.9 | na | na | 4.32 | 3.14 | |
| 1997 | 216.4 | 47.3 | 12.1 | 157.1 | 36.7 | 119.6 | 4.43 | 3.20 | |
| 1998 | 220.2 | 49.0 | 13.1 | 158.1 | 37.0 | 121.0 | 4.46 | 3.20 | |
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 1998. Environmental Fact Sheet EPA530-F-00-024 (EPA, Washington, DC, 2000).
Note: **Negligible (less than 500,000 tons). 1Generation before materials recovery or combustion. Does not include construction and demolition debris, industrial process waste, or certain other waste. 2Composting of yard trimmings and food waste. Does not include mixed municipal solid waste composting or backyard composting.
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