Waste Industry Statistics
Need some data to back up the trash facts? Save yourself the research and check out our waste, recycling, and business statistics.
The U.S. produces 268 million tons of waste — 140 million going into landfills — each year, with the average American tossing 4.5 pounds of trash per day. Learn more about America's trash production.
After garbage is tossed, the majority of it is sent to a landfill to decompose, while recyclables are sorted and repurposed in a recycling center.
Plastic bags can contaminate food sources when improperly disposed, but will your food be exposed to bacteria without them?
While the recycling rate in the U.S. has dropped, the total tonnage is at an all-time high. Learn all about the current American recycling landscape.
After you throw your garbage away, it's usually sorted at a transfer station then sent to another facility. Start here to learn where your trash goes next.
Are these grocery store waste statistics true where you shop? Learn how much food your supermarket throws away, why so many don’t donate and how they could benefit by cutting waste.
Illegal dumping impacts you in many ways—from your health to your property value and community well-being. Learn the facts and some solutions to the problem.
Learn the facts about restaurant food waste and how you can start your own food donation program with help from groups like the Food Donation Connection.