Table 8.2  U.S. Municipal Solid Waste Trends by Waste Type, Ten-Year Intervals, 1960-1990, and Annually, 1995-1998

  Paper Glass Metals* Aluminum Plastics Rubber and leather
  Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-
  era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-
Year tion ery   tion ery   tion ery   tion ery   tion ery   tion ery
                                   
  million tons
                                   
1960 29.99 5.08   6.72 0.10   10.48 0.05   0.34 **   0.39 **   1.84 0.33
1970 44.31 6.77   12.74 0.16   13.03 0.47   0.80 0.01   2.90 **   2.97 0.25
1980 55.16 11.74   15.13 0.75   13.78 0.91   1.73 0.31   6.83 0.02   4.20 0.13
1990 72.73 20.23   13.10 2.63   13.74 2.96   2.81 1.01   17.13 0.37   5.79 0.37
1995 81.57 32.70   12.83 3.14   12.90 4.94   2.96 0.93   18.90 0.99   6.03 0.54
1996 79.68 33.18   12.29 3.17   13.09 5.24   2.95 0.93   19.76 1.06   6.20 0.59
1997 83.29 33.58   12.01 2.92   13.60 5.56   3.01 0.95   21.47 1.11   6.59 0.77
1998 84.13 34.96   12.45 3.18   13.76 5.27   3.08 0.86   22.37 1.21   6.86 0.86
                                   
  Textiles Wood Other Food waste Yard waste Misc.
  Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-   Gen- Re-
  era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-   era- cov-
Year tion ery   tion ery   tion ery   tion ery   tion ery   tion ery
                                   
  million tons
                                   
1960 1.76 0.05   3.03 **   0.07 **   12.20 **   20.00 **   1.30 **
1970 2.04 0.06   3.72 **   0.77 0.30   12.80 **   23.20 **   1.78 **
1980 2.53 0.16   7.01 **   2.52 0.50   13.00 **   27.50 **   2.25 **
1990 5.81 0.66   12.21 0.13   3.19 0.68   20.80 **   35.00 4.20   2.90 **
1995 7.40 0.90   10.44 0.45   3.65 0.75   21.74 0.57   29.69 9.00   3.15 **
1996 7.72 0.95   10.84 0.49   3.69 0.78   21.85 0.52   27.92 10.39   3.20 **
1997 8.24 1.06   11.57 0.59   3.76 0.76   21.91 0.58   27.73 11.49   3.25 **
1998 8.60 1.11   11.93 0.72   3.90 0.86   22.13 0.58   27.73 12.56   3.29 **

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).

Notes:  *Ferrous and other nonferrous metals except aluminum. **Negligible (less than 5,000 tons). Other includes electrolytes in batteries and disposable paper diapers.

Last Updated on Saturday, October 14, 2000