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Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling
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Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures Report

*** Note ***

The November 2020 Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet has been updated by the December 2020 version.

Each year EPA releases the Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures Fact Sheet, formerly called Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: Facts and Figures. It includes information on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation, recycling, composting, other food management, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling. The 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 fact sheets also include information on construction and demolition debris, which is outside of the scope of MSW. Data are in U.S. short tons unless specified.

EPA also released the 2018 Wasted Food Report.

Looking for More Information?
  • Check out the research memos.
     
  • View our updates to the Volume-to-Weight Conversion factors for Solid Waste
     
  • Download the Excel files on this page to view the summary data tables, ranging from 1960 to 2018. 
  • 2018 Facts and Figures Fact Sheet (pdf) (4.86 MB)
  • 2018 Data Tables (pdf) (7.84 MB)
  • 2018 Wasted Food Report (pdf) (2.28 MB)
  • 2017 Facts and Figures Fact Sheet (pdf) (4.06 MB, November 2019, 530-F-19-007)
  • 2016 and 2017 Data Tables (pdf) (9.55 MB, November 2019)
  • 2015 Facts and Figures Fact Sheet (pdf) (4.98 MB)
  • 2015 Data Tables (pdf) (6.52 MB)
  • 2014 Facts and Figures Fact Sheet (pdf) (2.18 MB)
  • 2014 Data Tables (pdf) (7 MB)
  • 2013 Facts and Figures Fact Sheet (pdf) (1.64 MB)
  • 2013 Facts and Figures Full Report (pdf) (12.13 MB)
  • 2012 Facts and Figures Fact Sheet (pdf) (1.17 MB)
  • 2012 Data Tables (pdf) (1.59 MB)
  • Methodology for MSW Characterization Numbers (pdf) (77.85 KB)
  • Methodology for Estimating MSW Recycling Benefits (pdf) (161.09 KB)
  • Methodology Document for Selected Municipal Solid Waste Products (pdf) (1005.09 KB, April 2014)
  • Facts and Figures Home
  • Learn about the Facts and Figures
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  • Frequent Questions about the Data
  • Full Report and Data Tables
    • Research Memos and Summary Tables
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on December 3, 2022
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