RRS analyzed U.S. pricing averages from recyclingmarkets.net, annual U.S. recycling and landfilling tonnages from the 2014 EPA Sustainable Materials Management report, and U.S. census data to calculate the total per capita value of several commonly recycled packaging types.
This allowed us to estimate the value of the portion of these items that are still being sent to landfill.
The exercise highlights the potential benefit of improving access, participation and infrastructure to increase recovery of these valuable materials.
Data Corner is compiled monthly by recycling consultancy RRS.
This article originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of Resource Recycling. Subscribe today for access to all print content.
Data Corner
Tagged April 2018