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  2. Circular Economy

U.S. National Recycling Goal

On this page:

  • Overview
  • National Recycling Goal

Overview

EPA recognizes that collective and collaborative commitments are best achieved when there are common goals. On November 17, 2020 at the America Recycles Summit, the EPA Administrator announced the National Recycling Goal to increase the U.S. recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030. The national goal will provide the benchmark needed to evaluate the success of the collective efforts to significantly improve the nation’s recycling system.

As a parallel effort, EPA developed a National Recycling Strategy that identifies objectives and actions needed to create a stronger, more resilient U.S. recycling system. For more information on the strategy, visit the Recycling Strategy web page.

The National Recycling Goal aims to create standardized definitions for the recycling industry to keep pace with today’s diverse and changing waste system. The strategy identifies actions needed to address these challenges that build on the collaborative efforts by parties from across the recycling system that began under the National Framework for Advancing the U.S. Recycling System.


National Recycling Goal

The National Recycling Goal is to increase the national recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030.

Graphic that says 50 percent recycling rate by 2030

This goal will help EPA, interested parties, and the public learn how the United States is managing materials more sustainably. It will help governments to make necessary changes to collection and sorting systems and help industry determine the supply of available materials and make investment decisions.

Circular Economy

  • Circular Economy Basics
  • National Recycling Strategy
  • National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics
  • National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution
  • Funding Infrastructure Improvements
  • Recycling Toolkit
  • Sustainable Materials Management
  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Contact Us About Circular Economy
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on February 11, 2025
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