How Much Waste Does The US Produce Each Year?

These Facts and Figures are current through calendar year 2018. The total generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2018 was 292.4 million tons (U.S. short tons, unless specified) or 4.9 pounds per person per day. Of the MSW generated, approximately 69 million tons were recycled and 25 million tons were composted.

What percent of waste does the US produce?

The U.S. produces more than 30 percent of the planet’s total waste, though it is home to only 4 percent of the world’s population.

How much waste is produced every year?

The world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually , with at least 33 percent of that—extremely conservatively—not managed in an environmentally safe manner. Worldwide, waste generated per person per day averages 0.74 kilogram but ranges widely, from 0.11 to 4.54 kilograms.

Does the US produce the most waste?

The United States has the third-largest population of all countries, and it produced the most municipal solid waste in the world : 258 million tonnes of MSW was generated in 2017. The most populous country in the world, China, on the other hand, generated 210 million tonnes of MSW in 2017.

How much waste is produced every day in the US?

The average American consumer produces just under five pounds of trash each day, while a family creates about 18 pounds. Multiplying those numbers by 365 days for the year, it all adds up to: 1,642 pounds per person.

How much plastic is in the World 2020?

There is now 5.25 trillion macro and micro pieces of plastic in our ocean & 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tonnes. Every day around 8 million pieces of plastic makes their way into our oceans.

Which country produces the most waste?

As a nation, Americans generate more waste than any other nation in the world with 4.5 pounds (2.0 kg) of municipal solid waste (MSW) per person per day, fifty five percent of which is contributed as residential garbage.

Which country wastes the most food 2020?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the two countries with the largest populations generate the highest food waste totals, according to the report. China came first with an estimated 91.6 million tonnes of discarded food annually, followed by India’s 68.8 million tonnes.

What state produces the most waste?

Based on proprietary data released to the public, Nevada was named America’s “Most Wasteful State” for the years 2005-2010; where each resident threw away over 14 pounds of non-recycled, unreused items, often ending up into landfills and incinerators per day, eight pounds over the national state daily throwaway average ...

Where is the largest landfill in the United States?

During this year, the Apex Regional Landfill in Las Vegas, United States covered about 2,200 acres of land. It is projected to have a lifetime of 250 years and holds about 50 million tons of waste as the largest landfill in the United States.

What percentage of the world recycles 2020?

Only about 13% is recycled on the global level. Hopefully, these recycling statistics will help people realize how important it is to recycle. Most of the materials take hundreds of years to decompose, and plastic needs up to 1,000 years. Besides preventing pollution, recycling delivers a number of other benefits.

How much plastic is used each year in America?

In 2018, plastics generation was 35.7 million tons in the United States, which was 12.2 percent of MSW generation. EPA used data from the American Chemistry Council, the National Association for PET Container Resources, and and the Association of Plastic Recyclers to measure the recycling of plastic.

What do we throw away the most?

The single most prevalent material found was food waste , which accounted for about 15 percent of what was thrown away. The second most prevalent material found was cardboard at more than 8 percent by weight.

Which country has zero garbage?

Sweden is aiming for zero waste. This means stepping up from recycling to reusing.

How much plastic do we eat?

Humans Eating Plastic – Over 40 Pounds In A Lifetime .

Which country uses most plastic?