How much trash can be recycled

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Travel My Hometown In L. Travel The last artists crafting a Thai royal treasure. Subscriber Exclusive Content. Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars? How viruses shape our world. The era of greyhound racing in the U. See how people have imagined life on Mars through history. Generation of newspapers has been declining since , and this trend is expected to continue, partly due to decreased page size, but mainly due to the increased digitization of news.

The generation of office-type high grade papers also has been in decline, due at least partially to activities such as the increased use of the electronic transmission of reports.

Paper and paperboard products have ranged between Food waste comprised the fourth largest material category, estimated at Yard trimmings comprised the next largest material category, estimated at This compares to 35 million tons The decline in yard trimmings generation since is largely due to state legislation discouraging yard trimmings disposal in landfills, including source reduction measures such as backyard composting and leaving grass trimmings on the yard.

In , plastic products generation was This was an increase of 4. Plastics generation has grown from 8. Plastics generation as a percent of total generation has varied from In , 2. The total MSW recycled was more than 69 million tons, with paper and paperboard accounting for approximately 67 percent of that amount. Metals comprised about 13 percent, while glass, plastic and wood made up between 4 and 5 percent. Measured by tonnage, the most-recycled products and materials in were corrugated boxes Collectively, these products accounted for 90 percent of total MSW recycling in Check out our Reduce, Reuse, Recycle web area for more information on recycling.

The total MSW composted was 25 million tons. This included approximately Other methods of food management were estimated for the first time in In , Food made up the largest component of MSW combusted at approximately 22 percent. Rubber, leather and textiles accounted for over 16 percent of MSW combustion. Plastics comprised about 16 percent, and paper and paperboard made up about 12 percent. Landfills emit carbon dioxide, methane, volatile organic compounds and other hazardous pollutants into the air.

And our oceans are drowning in plastic waste. In , the U. An estimated 1. Recycling in Harbin, China. Photo: GabrieleBattaglia. The U. When these countries later instituted bans on imported plastic waste, the U. Experts estimate that 20 to 70 percent of plastic intended for recycling overseas is unusable and is ultimately discarded.

One study found that the plastic waste exported to Southeast Asia resulted in contaminated water, crop death, respiratory illnesses due to toxic fumes from incineration, and organized crime. Without the Chinese market for plastic — as well as for some types of cardboard, paper, and glass — the U. Some waste was simply discarded.

Photo: Sarah. As a result, U. Over 70 ended curbside recycling though several have been reinstituted after public protests , and many drop-off sites closed; some programs increased costs to residents while others limited what materials they would accept. Because U. Recycling in Baltimore. Photo: KristianBjornard. Making the situation more complicated—the U.

That means companies coming together with communities, recyclers, haulers, manufacturers and consumers to try to make progress together. According to the EPA , of the Paper for recycling. Photo: Todd Lappin. Sixty-six percent of discarded paper and cardboard was recycled, 27 percent of glass, and 8 percent of plastics were recycled. Single-stream recycling, where all recyclables are placed into the same bin, has made recycling easier for consumers, but results in about one-quarter of the material being contaminated.

Plastic recycling presents the biggest challenge because the plastic is often contaminated by other materials and consumer goods companies are reluctant to buy recycled plastic unless it is as pure as virgin plastic. Plastic for recycling needs to be clean. Photo: Samuel A. Although companies that make and sell plastic push the idea that recycling is the answer to the plastic pollution problem, six times more plastic waste is incinerated than is recycled.

China used to accept plastics 3 through 7, which were mostly burned for fuel. Today 3 — 7 plastics may be collected in the U. Textiles are another large source of waste. Only And while the fashion industry is trying to refashion old clothing and vintage items are now chic, this movement is not big enough to solve the problem.

Behind a NYC bagel shop. Photo: Sachi Yoshitsugu. Food waste is by tonnage the most significant source of waste, according to Mesa. And while waste to energy facilities exist in the U. As technology advances and as the search for green energy ramps up in U.

The global market for high quality recycled materials is actually growing. Global demand for paper and cardboard is expected to grow by 1. Recycled paper and cardboard will be in demand. Photo: Paul Swanson. As a result, companies are trying to enhance the quality of recycled plastic as well as incorporate it into the plastic products they produce.

Plastic waste, especially PET and HDPE, is being recycled into packaging, building and constructions, electronics, automotive, furniture, textiles and more.

The key to fixing recycling in the U. This means improving the technology for sorting and recovering materials, incorporating more recycled material into products, getting these products into the marketplace and creating demand for them. If recycling processors have a market where they can sell their material, they will be motivated to invest in better equipment that can sort materials to minimize contamination, and it will make economic sense to expand recycling programs. San Francisco , which has set a zero waste goal for , keeps 80 percent of its waste out of landfills.

The city requires residents and companies to separate their waste into three streams, employing blue bins for recyclables, green for compostables the city diverts 80 percent of its food waste and black for material intended for the landfill. Food vendors have to use compostable or recyclable containers, and every event in San Francisco must offer recycling and composting.

Starting July 1, stores will charge 25 cents for checkout bags, including bags for takeout and delivery. Los Angeles recycles almost 80 percent of its waste, with a goal to recycle 90 percent by Restaurants are required to compost their food waste, and companies get a break on their taxes based on how much they recycle. In Austin, TX , which is aiming to divert 75 percent of its waste by this year, all properties must provide recycling and composting to their tenants and employees.

Large construction projects must reuse or recycle at least half of their debris. Germany recycles 56 percent of its trash by providing different colored bins for different colored glass and other items.

The country uses the Green Dot recycling system: When a green dot is placed on packaging material, it indicates that the manufacturer contributes to the cost of collection and recycling. Many plastics cannot be made into new products. Recycle plastics by shape: bottles, jars, jugs and tubs. Reality : Containers should be clean, but don't have to be spotless. The goal is to make sure they are clean enough to avoid contaminating other materials, like paper, or your un-lined kitchen recycling bin.

Try using a spatula to scrape cans and jars, and putting recyclables in your sink among the dishes you are rinsing to share that same water to rinse and remove residue. Reality : False. Non-recyclable items are not accepted curbside. Non-recyclable items contaminate recyclables.

Recyclables stuck inside plastic bags are at risk for never making it through the recycling process. Conversely, recyclable items placed into garbage containers are hauled to a landfill and cannot be recovered effectively. The right thing to do is put the right recyclables in the recycling container and non-recyclables into garbage containers.

Recyclables with the greatest impact are bottles, cans, paper and cardboard. Reality : Just because it's plastic doesn't mean it's recyclable in your recycling program. There are other resources e. Reality: The acceptance of glass in recycling programs varies by jurisdiction. Glass recycling collection varies in communities across the U. Some communities recycle glass with all other recyclables; some collect glass separately at the curb in its own container; and some cities have specific recycling drop-off locations for glass.

If the can isn't empty, it could be dangerous. Waste Management facilities and commodity vendors accept steel, mixed metal and aluminum aerosol packages. Multi-material aerosol packages are not recyclable. Waste Management offers a number of services to help make your home or business more environmentally friendly.