20 Recycling and Landfill Facts

It's no secret that the world is facing a trash problem. With the population continuing to grow and consume more than ever, it's estimated that by 2025, there will be 1.42 billion tons of waste produced each year. This is a huge problem because only 9% of all plastics that have ever been produced have been recycled. The rest end up in landfills or as litter. 

While it's easy to feel overwhelmed by these numbers, there are things we can do to make a difference. Recycling is one of the most effective ways to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills. And, it's not as difficult as you might think. In this blog post, we'll share some recycling and landfill facts that will make you think twice about your trash. 

Did you know that... 

1. Americans generate about 250 million tons of trash each year. This number has been increasing since 1960. 
2. The average person produces 4.6 pounds of trash each day. 
3. It takes 500-1,000 years for some items to decompose in a landfill, including plastic bags, Styrofoam cups, and diaper wipes. 
4. More than 60 million barrels of oil are used each year to produce new plastics, including water bottles and grocery bags. 
5. Recycling just one ton of paper saves enough energy to power the equivalent of three homes for an entire year. 
6. If everyone in the U.S. recycled just half of their newspapers each week, we would save about 25 million trees every year! 
7. It takes 90% less energy to recycle aluminum cans than it does to create new ones from scratch. 
8. About 25% of all landfill space is taken up by packaging materials like boxes and containers. 
9. Food waste accounts for about 21% of all solid waste in landfills. 
10. Up to 80% of textiles end up in landfills each year. 
11. Landfills are the third largest source of methane gas emissions in the U.S., behind agriculture and coal mining. 
12. Methane gas is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere, making landfills a significant contributor to climate change. 

These recycling and landfill facts are pretty sobering but they underscore the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling whenever possible. Every little bit helps when it comes to reducing our impact on the environment. So next time you're about to throw something away, take a moment to think about whether or not it can be recycled or reused instead. Your efforts will make a difference!