Each year, the United States generates more than 258 million tons of municipal solid waste that’s more than 4 pounds per person per day. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, our nation has reached an overall recycling rate of 34.6 percent. Each year, our national recycling rate: 

Sends 89 million tons of material to a useful second life instead of the landfill

Saves the same amount of energy consumed by over 10 million US households in a year

Avoids greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing more than 38 million cars1 from our roads

Generates 757,000 jobs and $36.6 billion in wages But, much more can be done.