Source: Waste & Recycling News,
Waste generation in 2010 climbed for the first time since 2007, the U.S. EPA said in its recently released annual report.
In the report, the EPA said Americans generated 249.86 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2010, up 6.2 million tons -- or 2.5% -- from the 243.7 million tons generated in 2009. The national recycling rate is also on the rise, with Americans recycling or composting 34% of its waste.
Of the waste generated in 2010, 54.3% of it was landfilled, 34% of it was recovered through recycling or composting and 11.7% of it was turned into energy through a waste-to-energy facility.
When composting is taken out of the recovery figures, 25.9%, or 64.8 million tons, of the waste was recycled, according to the report. While there was an increase in tonnage generation by Americans, the U.S. is still producing less waste than it did in 2005, when 252.7 million tons were generated.
