The United States has seen a dramatic shift in waste practices over the past several years. While landfills are still the most common destination for waste, individuals and organizations are actively seeking out sustainable alternatives. Traditional recycling facilities have been joined by additional environmental solutions such as composters, e-waste processors and anaerobic digesters.
Yale University researchers estimate 230 million metric tons of MSW were landfilled in the U.S. in 2015, nearly twice the estimate from federal officials.
The country’s recycling and composting rate remains stuck at just over 34 percent, according to the U.S. EPA.
Aligning recycling metrics with concepts such as sustainable materials management has been a challenge. But a researcher in Florida is offering intriguing possibilities in that area.
Opinions vary widely on the best tactic to record a program’s diversion progress. An expert recommends returning to the basics with a relatively simple calculation that shows areas for improvement.
The U.S. paper recovery rate declined to under 66 percent last year after multiple years of increases, and an industry group says China’s import ban is to blame.
Collection-related fatalities made up nearly two-thirds of all waste and recycling industry deaths last year, according to figures from the Solid Waste Association of North America.
More than 100 government and corporate recycling leaders convened in Chattanooga, Tenn. to assess where the recycling industry stands in terms of data collection and analysis, and to generate recommendations on what new measurement steps need to be taken.
