Recycle Coach survey shows evidence that more localized recycling education is needed across US municipalities.

Recycle Coach, a digital recycling education platform used in over 1,400 municipalities in North America, announced the results of their survey administered to residents across the US through the duration of September 2022. The survey ranged in scope from commonly recycled items such as plastic bottles, to more challenging items such as light bulbs. The survey was customized for each municipality, according to what is accepted in their program. Participants were shown the correct results for the recyclability of each item based on where they live, with the aim to motivate behavior change, where necessary. In addition to the survey being its own educational content for residents, Recycle Coach aimed to track trends and monitor changes in understanding year over year to help municipalities administer targeted recycling education on materials in which their residents lack understanding.

‍Recycling Contamination Issues

Contamination refers to the things people put in recycling that don't belong. The national average for recycling contamination is estimated to be 17%, although contamination in some areas can reach 40% or more. The overall correct answer rate on this survey for residents in the US was 74%, which correlates closely with these contamination rate statistics‚ auto combat recycling contamination, we need to learn what people do and do not understand about their local recycling programs, said Jeff Galad, Chief Revenue Officer at Recycle Coach. People want to recycle more, and they want to recycle correctly, so we need to see where the disconnect is about their understanding, in order to make sure they get the information they need to be successful recyclers.

‍Loss of Material Recovery

Enhanced recycling education is the key to lowering contamination rates and increasing material recovery. The EPA has set out to increase the recycling rate from 32.1% to 50% by 2030. With so many residents across the country misunderstanding what is accepted in their local programs, loss of recoverable materials is another prevalent issue. Materials such as plastic bottles, jugs, and jars are a commonly accepted item in nearly every location, yet across the nation, only 72% of participants knew to recycle these items. This means around 28% of residents may not be recycling these accepted plastic items and they are lost to landfill instead of recovered for recycling. The survey data shows that more localized recycling education is needed for residents to understand their program, lower contamination rates, and increase recovered recyclable materials.

About Recycle Coach

Recycle Coach is dedicated to providing municipalities with the tools to make local waste and recycling program rules and regulations accessible to residents on every platform and every device. The Recycle Coach mobile app allows residents to view their personal recycling schedules, get pick-up reminders, search the‚ 'What Goes Where' tool, and engage in additional recycling education activities.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sonoco.The issue of mixed material recyclables has been a constant headache for many municipal recycling programs. Mixed materials are items that contain more than one material, traditionally making them difficult to recycle. For example, if a mixed paper recycling item is part paper and part plastic, but ends up being separated into the sorted paper, the plastic will contaminate the paper load.In most locations mixed material recyclables are on the not accepted list because many MRFs (Material Recover Facilities) don't have the equipment needed to deal with them. The recycling of mixed materials is long overdue for some industry improvements. Luckily, right now there is a renaissance of new recycling technologies being developed that could help your MRF accept more items.After the 2018 China ban on accepting many foreign recycling imports, and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many changes to the waste and recycling industry in recent years. One effect that has been seen is the increase in producer responsibility and attempts at product sustainability.As manufacturers attempt to improve the recyclability of their products, recycling facilities have been adopting new technologies to include more accepted materials in their sorting processes. With the push to recover more materials, mixed material recyclables need to be the next wave of accepted materials in your sorting facilities. Let's explore these 3 highly used mixed materials you should start accepting in your program.

Coffee Cups

Paper coffee cups are a commonly unaccepted paper item at MRFs because they are plastic lined. More and more facilities are accepting these mixed paper recycling items as there is more understanding as to the process of recycling this mixed material item.Some facilities use new high-consistency rotors, some shred the paper to remove the plastic easier, and some turn the paper into pulp to skim the plastic off the top.Reasons your facility should start accepting coffee cups:

• Both the paper and the plastic lining can be recycled once separated, leaving no waste for your facility to deal with.
• There are likely funding opportunities available for you to increase your acceptance of paper coffee cups.
• In the US alone, 50 billion paper coffee cups are disposed of per year, meaning this is an area that recycling needs to start addressing in order to combat vast amounts of wasted paper and space taken up in landfills.

Cardboard Spiral Cans

Cardboard Spiral Cans are an often-misunderstood recyclable. Companies like Sonoco, who produces these types of paper containers with steel bottoms, have designed this packaging with a closed loop system in mind. Unfortunately, many MRFs still do not accept this material for recycling since it is a mixed material.This type of mixed paper recyclable material includes items such as potato chip cans, dough containers, frozen juice canisters, and some household cleansers.To recycle this properly, residents should remove the plastic lid and any film or removable lidding that the package has. The remainder of the container can be placed in in the recycling bin to be sorted with steel.Reasons your facility should start accepting Cardboard Spiral Cans cartons:

• These containers will easily be sorted on your existing line by magnets together with other steel and metal recyclables, meaning no additional investment is needed in your equipment.
• The non-steel components are consumed and recovered as energy during the steel recycling process, causing no disruptions or contamination concerns (The paper portion of the container makes up less than 1.5% of the overall steel bale weight).
• There is a 46% decrease in greenhouse gasses when you recycle the paper container with steel ends instead of sending these items to landfills.
• In an effort to increase sustainability, Sonoco Products Company has ensured that they have support from several of the largest end markets in the North American steel industry that accept this mixed material recyclable.
• The capture rate of these cardboard spiral cans with steel bottoms is equal to the capture rate of steel cans, adding to the volume of your steel stream.

Tetra Pak Cartons

Aseptic and gable top cartons can consist of plastic, aluminum, and paper in order to keep liquid foods fresh. This includes many milk, juice, stock, and wine cartons. Recycling this type of mixed material packaging may seem daunting, but with 75% of the contents made from paperboard, it is a valuable source of paper that your MRF could be recovering.Reasons your facility should start accepting aseptic and gable top cartons:

• When turned to paper pulp, the resulting fibers can be used in new tissue, toilet paper, and office paper products at a paper mill.
• These cartons can either be recycled with a hydrapulper to extract the paper, or the contents could be shredded and pressed into durable building materials.
• Aseptic and Gable Top Cartons can utilize innovations such as robotic and AI sorting technologies in MRFs to increase recyclability.

Make An Impact

In the wake of so many industry changes and advancements, it is time to start improving MRF capabilities. Recycling programs are potentially missing out on the opportunity to incorporate more recoverable materials just because they are commonly misunderstood.With the increase in extended producer responsibilities, recycling centers have ample opportunity to accept more materials since manufactures are creating products and packaging in more sustainable ways to be recycled and close the loop for their products.By adding these three mixed material recyclables to the accepted list at your recycling facility, you will be helping to improve your program and increase the viability of the circular economy.

Wondering how to recycle Nespresso pods at work? For years coffee pods have suffered a bad rap for being environmentally unfriendly, creating more unnecessary trash in overburdened landfills. In this post we explore how these pods can be recycled, so that you can enjoy guilt-free coffee.

Some 7 in every 10 adults drinks coffee every week. That amounts to around 62% of the entire population drinking at least a cup a day according to the National Coffee Association.

It's easy to see how 10 billion coffee pods are sold every year – many consumed in the morning at work. There's no denying that many of these pods, especially the plastic kind, are causing a serious waste issue all over the country. It's up to your team to choose recyclable coffee pod options.

That's why we're going to give you a step-by-step outline on how to recycle Nespresso pods. By far one of the most popular coffee pod brands, this model will show you how to recycle eco-friendly pods when you're using them at the office.

Step 1: Choose a Recyclable Coffee Pod (Material)

Coffee pods are usually attached to a specific machine that is left in the break room at work. So, if you and your green team want to switch to a recyclable pod, you will need to assess the current impact of your company coffee pod usage, to motivate the new machine purchase.

Many businesses find that their pods are plastic. These are the ones you should replace with eco-friendly alternatives, like aluminum Nespresso pods or compostable pods from niche brands like Co-Op pods or Grind House Coffee Blend pods for bulk purchase.

• Aluminum is uniquely recyclable so it's a great choice
• If you have a composting program, biodegradable pods will work too

Step 2: Create Your Nespresso Pod Recycling Program

Once you've motivated and invested in the new machine, and employees are using the coffee pods you need to setup a pod recycling program. This is because coffee pods can't be recycled along with other general workplace recycling.

Make sure that you have a separate bin or bag that lives close to your Nespresso coffee machine. Put up posters or brief your employees on where they should toss their empty coffee pods after use. Some pods can be used a couple times before they are recycled so include that as a hot tip.

• Put a separate recycling bin near the coffee machine for the pods
• Educate your employees on the change and what they should do

Step 3: Collect and Store Your Coffee Pods for Recycling

Depending on the size of your company, your green team (or waste team) will need to collect the Nespresso coffee pods during the week. Keep them separate from your other waste streams and curbside programs – they need to be sent somewhere special.

• Stockpile your used and recyclable Nespresso coffee pods

Step 4: Get the Nespresso Recycling Bag and Find a Location

Once you have collected your Nespresso coffee pods, you'll need to go to the Nespresso website and order their special recycling bags. Fill these bags with your pods and they're ready to be dropped off at one of 122,287 locations all over the world.

You can find your closest Nespresso recycling drop-off point here.

If you can't get to a drop-off point, Nespresso has a partnership agreement with UPS – so you can take them to any UPS branch for recycling. It's important that you get the official Nespresso recycling bag because it's the only way pods are accepted.

The bag itself is also aluminum so it's part of their recycling process. Bags are free at any Nespresso store but the easiest way to keep them coming is to order them for delivery online.

• Order Nespresso recycling bags for your pods
• Take them to a local drop-off point or UPS store

Step 5: Simplify Your Nespresso Coffee Pod Recycling Process

Streamlining your recycling process is easy once you've done it a few times. Your green team will have a better idea of how many bags your office needs and can order them along with the pods.

The average aluminum recycling bag holds around 200 regular pods. The bags are all one size, and they were never meant for commercial recycling so it can be a labor of love to do the weekly transfer. With 80% of pods ending up in the ocean however, it's more than worth it!

• Simplify your recycling bag ordering process
• Make time to drop off your weekly (or monthly) bags at the nearest point

Nespresso pod recycling is an amazing program that will drastically reduce the negative impact of plastic pods on our world. If you currently have plastic coffee pods in-office, consider motivating why a change needs to happen and implement a high impact Nespresso coffee pod recycling program.

At the end of the year, after 320,000 tons pods have been used – share with your employees how many pods you've recycled to boost office morale. They are guaranteed to love it! Now you know how to recycle Nespresso pods at work. Get to it and make a real difference.

Conscious companies that recycle clothes are on the frontlines of the battle against fast fashion. Today we explore the clothing recycling programs adopted by these green brands and shed some light on the important work that they're doing for our world.

Fast fashion is a recent phenomenon. Thanks to massive clothing retailers like H&M, Gap, and Zara between 2000 and 2015 production of clothing items doubled from 50 to 100 billion garments. Collections and trends are being churned out at twice the rate, causing twice the amount of waste.

Clothing has shifted from a consumer good, to a fast-moving consumer good in recent years. This fast-moving consumer fashion (FMCF) as it has been dubbed, describes the cheap, trend-orientated clothing that flies off the shelves ‚and quickly ends up as textile waste at the local landfill.

Recycling clothing is more important than ever! Here are 8 ethical companies that recycle clothes and other fashion-related items.

#1: Patagonia

• Committed to the circular economy
• Clothing made from recycled materials
• All items bought at Patagonia are accepted at stores for recycling

Patagonia is one of those uncommonly conscious brands that is really trying to build sustainability into their company (even though they don't like to call it that!)

From allowing customers to return every Patagonia clothing item for recycling, to making new items from polyester, recycled nylon, down and wool ‚this company advocates for the earth at every turn.

Read about their struggles with clothing recycling here.

#2: Alternative Apparel

• Committed to sustainable manufacturing
• Uses eco-friendly materials
• Advocates for environmental responsibility

Alternative Apparel, a clothing brand under Hanes Brands ‚has dedicated itself to sustainable clothing production and recycling. The group owns 70% of its production and focuses on global environmental management as a governing force.

They are also active in initiatives like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and manage to divert 92% of facility waste from landfills around the world. That means they're recycling 100 million pounds of textile waste every year.

#3: Levi Strauss

• Committed to circular sustainable fashion
• Care Tag for our Planet Program
• Blue Jeans Go Green partnership

It's not surprising that Levi Strauss makes the list of ethical brands that support textile sustainability. Through product design and innovation, they're creating jeans that are 100% recyclable. At the same time, they've launched educational initiatives to help customers extend garment lifespan.

Their ongoing partnership with the Blue Jeans Go Green initiative proves they care. It's a clothing recycling program that takes jeans and recycles them into new items. To date, they've diverted 2100 tons of denim from local landfills.

#4: Vetta

• Sustainable clothing manufacturing
• Recycled clothing packaging
• Recycled clothing programs

Taking ethical business to the next level is Vetta, a clothing company with excellent sustainability practices. This California-based brand encourages customers to buy lean from a timeless collection. Their factories are committed to solar powered operations (70%) and packaging is fully recycable.

All fabrics are sustainable and recyclable, and Vetta actively creates content encouraging customers to sell, donate or recycle their clothing.  

#5: Universal Standard

• Innovative clothing recycling program

Universal Standard has a rewarding process for customers who want to recycle their clothing. Order a paper bag from their store and fill it with wardrobe items that you want to recycle. Send it in and get $25.00 for every recyclable item, up to $100.00.

The credit can be spent in-store on new items ‚and items sent in don't have to be from Universal Standard. The brand rewards the act of recycling clothing, making this a green initiative instead of a loyalty program, while encouraging people to shop in a more sustainable way.

#6: Girlfriend Collective

• Dedicated to recycling clothing and fashion items

Girlfriend Collective is a popular athleisure brand that makes leggings, bras, and other active wear. They have an amazing clothing recycling program that encourages customers to send in their worn items so that they can be recycled into new ones. For your trouble, you'll get $15.00 store credit.

#7: Reformation

• Commitment to recycling old clothing
• Creation of new clothing out of old clothing
• Climate neutral certified company
• Ethical supply chain and materials

At Reformation, clothing sustainability is at the heart of their entire business. Their clothing recycling practice is efficient, and they've partnered with SuperCircle to make sure every item sent in becomes something new. Recyclable items do have to be from Ref though.

While some recycling programs involving textile waste end up downcycling materials, Reformation is adamant that the items they accept eventually become clothing of equal or similar value.

#8: Urban Outfitters

• Ethical business model

With Urban Outfitters, you get a company that has been focused on sustainability since before it was front and center on the internet. From upcycling and remaking clothing, to having a fully recycled line of clothes ‚these vintage items are reaching to be a part of the circular economy.

The companies that recycle clothes are helping reduce the negative impact of fast fashion on our environment. By being conscious businesses, they are taking a bold step away from the damaging fashion waste that is contributing to so many environmental problems in our world.

Does your clothing company have a recycling program that reduces your environmental impact?

Tell us below.

Food waste statistics like these can be a shock to the system. Today we take a pragmatic look at the state of food scraps and waste in North America with a view to make things better.According to the EPA, municipal food waste is generated by the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. Some 55% of scraps are landfilled, while only 12% are combusted.Let's investigate what else is happening to wasted food in the US and spot opportunities for improvement in your city along the way.Here are 13 food waste statistics and facts to inspire change in your municipality.

#1: 103 million tons of food waste is created in the US every year

To give you context on how large that is, it's the equivalent of about 116 Golden Gate Bridges stacked side by side in one enormous stack.

#2: Half of all food in the US is discarded making it the world-leader in organic waste

With some 50% of the food grown, about a third of all food is thrown away because it's ugly. According to a report from The Guardian, Americans won't buy imperfect looking food, which means that about $160 billion in food is wasted each year because it's not picture-perfect enough.Does your municipality have an ugly-food program?

#3: 39.82% of discarded food in the US is from the industrial sector

The industrial sector includes agriculture and food processing so it's no wonder this segment tends to create the most waste, it's where most of the food is grown.

#4: 24.95% of food scraps and waste in the US comes from residential sectors

Unsurprisingly, the second largest portion of waste comes from residential areas. Municipalities should take action to promote green waste composting and greater educational programs for the community to encourage proper food utilization, waste reduction and correct disposal.

#5: 33.81% of food-related waste in the US comes from commercial sectors

Commercial sectors include restaurants and food service companies, supermarkets and centers, office buildings and food wholesalers.

#6: 4.69% of food waste in the US comes from institutional sectors

Leading the pack are K-12 schools with 1.24%, hotels with 1.22% and colleges and universities with 0.61%. Other institutions like nursing homes, correctional facilities, hospitals, and food banks are also included in this sector.

#7: 6.3% of food waste was diverted from landfills to become compost

Your municipal community may be composting, but more people need to be doing it to lower the landfill burden in your area. Only a tiny percentage is diverted, which is why most of the waste in any given landfill site is food.

#8: 24.14% of all landfilled material is food-related waste

According to the EPA, of the 146.1 million tons of material found in US landfills, the overwhelming majority is food waste. It's greater than plastic (18.46%) and paper (11.78%).

#9: 100% of food scraps at a landfill take years to decompose

Most people believe that because food waste is organic, it will decompose at the landfill. The problem of course, is that landfills were created for storage and not composting. With so many mixed varieties of trash, food scraps rot, releasing harmful greenhouses gasses for years.Educate your community about food waste and what happens when it's thrown in the trash.

#10: 85% of greenhouse gasses that are ruining our planet come from discarded food items

When your municipality commits to programs that help community members compost, reduce food waste, and recycle better you are actively helping to lower gas emissions at your local landfill.

#11: 40% of US customers throw food away too early

There is widespread confusion about the meaning of food expiration dates printed on consumer items these days. This has led to people throwing away food that is still safe to eat, contributing to the massive food waste issue in the country.

#12: Money is a primary motivator to get consumers to reduce their food waste

In a recent study, respondents were found to be more concerned about saving money than saving the environment. Clearly money and the successful utilization of food are tied together. Consider this when developing food waste programs for your municipality.

#13: 30% of global livestock feed comes from food-related waste

One way to divert food waste from landfills is to use it as animal feed. Right now, there's enormous demand for animal feed and plenty of room for program growth.It's clear that without intervention waste will continue to be created and will end up in our landfills. Take a moment to consider how you could help reduce or solve the food waste crisis.Use these 13 food waste statistics to inform your next recycling or composting program. Sit down with your recycling co-ordination team and come up with a plan to educate your community, and reduce the overall impact of food waste in your municipality.Which food waste statistic surprised you? Tell us below.

Sustainability in the office should be a priority for your green team this year. In today's post, we will explore several creative and novel ways to make your office greener than it's ever been before.

Studies have shown that greener offices often mean healthier, more productive employees. With the rise in adoption of green building standards and certifications, when your company makes a concerted effort to apply sustainable practices in-office – the environment wins.

Beyond the massive benefits of improving your environmental impact at the office, making it a greener place to be is what employees want. A recent survey from Next Energy Technologies revealed that 80% of managers would improve office sustainability to retain employees.

Here are 15 innovative ideas that will help you embrace sustainability in the office.

#1: Investigate Switching to Eco-Cleaning Products

Cleaning chemicals have an impact on your employees and the environment they work in. That's why a commitment to sustainability means exploring greener ways of keeping your office clean.

The Environmental Protection Agency has a guide on how to choose eco-friendly products here.

#2: Bring the Outside Inside

Sometimes sustainability in the office is as easy as bringing the outside, inside. Study after study has proven that lush plants in the office equate to more productive, less stressed and healthier employees. Lots of natural light, open space and communion with nature is key to improved results.

#3: Repurpose and Reuse Where You Can

Creating dedicated spaces where people at the office can share surplus equipment and supplies is a leap towards greater sustainability. Many companies start with a single shelf that grows into a space where everyone can find and exchange excess materials when they need them.

#4: Audit Your Office Supply Stream

To create your eco-friendly office, have a closer look at where you get your monthly business supplies. Take note of where they come from, if they're made from sustainable materials and how you can switch things up to support suppliers who are actively trying to make products circular.

#5: Encourage Hybrid Working Environments

Having programs that support an eco-friendly commute is standard these days ‚Äì but better than that is encouraging workers to stay home. You save on office costs, and your employee saves on their carbon footprint. Studies have shown that everyone wins when employees work from home.  

#6: Fund Your Green Team

Many corporate sustainability teams are underfunded, which limits their ability to educate and enact green initiatives in the workplace. For sustainability in the office to thrive, try increasing the eco budget and see what your green team can do – you'll be surprised!

#7: Explore Revenue-Generating Circular Opportunities

Some offices are finding innovative ways to lower their carbon footprint and increase their bottom line. There are e-waste programs that can become revenue generators, along with composting programs that convert canteen food waste into compost for the company gardens.

#8: Make Printers a Rarity

Along with drastically reducing paper use at the office, it makes sense to reduce the availability of your office printers. When employees are discouraged from printing at work, there is less paper waste, less energy consumption and more sustainable business for everyone.

#9: Invest in Green Technology Initiatives

Environmentally sustainable office spaces are usually home to new kinds of technology that make sustainability easy. These green initiatives take many forms – solar power or reworked energy-efficient lighting, IoT devices, green data centers and smart glass are some ideas to look into.

#10: Bring the Green Revolution to Your Canteen

Food waste is one of the most problematic areas of sustainability in the office. This year, launch a program that will streamline your ordering processes, and make use of novel waste and recycling practices so that excess doesn't end up at the landfill.

#11: Involve Employees in Regular Eco Education

Sustainability should be a weekly part of your company culture. Decide what that looks like, and how you're going to deliver the eco-education your employees need to be involved. From newsletters to guest speakers, screenings, and volunteer programs – allow eco-conscious employees to take part.

#12: Reward Top Eco-Performers at Work

Recognition is a powerful motivating force. Take some time to recognize the key performers that are furthering sustainability in your business. This will motivate others to get involved, and to genuinely care about the way your company is embracing the green movement.

#13: Host Fundraising Drives for Local Sustainability Causes

Aneco-friendly office shares sustainability practice with the community. Inspire your employees to host fundraising drives to help green charities and initiatives. From animal welfare to beach clean-ups, these causes will benefit from the dedication that your employees have to sustainability.

#14: Recycle Better

Green offices thrive when employees recycle better. That means using technology like the Recycle Coach app to give them the tools required to make better choices in the moment. Explore our various workplace education programs and tap into the power of the ‘what goes where' tool.

#15: Invite Your Employees to Submit Green Ideas

Finally, invite your employees to have a real voice on sustainability in the office. Create a dedicated space where they can submit ideas to improve the existing practices and processes already in play. No one knows where the problems exist better than your employees!

When you embrace sustainability in the office, everyone benefits. Make this year one to remember by doubling down on the green practices that work and testing new and innovative ways to make your office a healthier, happier, and more sustainable place to work.

Which of these sustainability ideas do you want to implement this year? Tell us below.

Recycling statistics help municipal leaders make sense of a broad and ever-changing landscape. Use this list to glean insight into which parts of the recycling system need work, where investment makes the most sense, and which models are working best across the nation.In this ultimate list you'll find relevant recycling statistics  that will help you be a better municipal leader. We begin with a list of useful stats, then break-down global statistics, federal facts, and state recycling statistics to get an accurate view of the latest EPA data.Also included is a series of material recycling statistics, focused on the most recycled materials in North America. Take a look at the top recycling statistics and facts below.

• The Most Useful Recycling Facts of 2022
• The Top 7 Global Recycling Statistics
• The Top 3 Federal Recycling Facts (USA)
• 4 Key State Recycling Statistics (USA)
• The Top 8 Material Recycling Statistics (USA)
• What Americans Recycle

The Most Useful Recycling Facts For Waste and Recycling Professionals

Here are some lesser-known facts and stats that have cropped up during our research. For recycling coordinators searching for fresh data to include as they shape new strategies for the year, these will come in handy.

• Only 59% of US households have access to curbside recycling (2019). This means about 70 million homes in the US have easy access to recycling services.

While more than half North America has curbside recycling, it's clear that a vast opportunity exists to rollout more curbside recycling programs across the continent. With some 120 million households in the US alone, and about 10 million households in Canada, there is still work to be done.

• When at home, Americans recycle paper and plastic bottles more than any other material.

The AFPA released a study  stating that 65.7% of paper in the US was recycled in 2020, and corrugated containers had a 90% recycling rate. A ton of recycled cardboard saves about 46 gallons of oil, so the more the better. With so many deliveries going out, this is positive progress.

• The US is the world'slargest plastic creator and polluter. The average person creates about 130 kilograms of plastic waste annually.

Connecting curbside recycling programs with resident recycling education should be a priority this year, to encourage people to recycle more plastic items from home.

• Some 3000 pounds of food per second goes to waste, which means that half of all food is thrown away in North America. It's also the main material filling up the landfills.

Devise ways to reduce food waste entering the system, and encourage residents to compost the organic waste they create at home.

• According to this study, the amount of waste ending up in landfills is the lowest it's been since 1960. California has the most landfills, and Michigan has the most trash per capita.

While landfills are receiving less waste, it's also true that they are overburdened. Many materials take hundreds of years to decompose‚ so space is incredibly limited. The demand for closed loop recycling systems is greater than ever.

The Top 7 Global Recycling Statistics

What does the global recycling landscape look like right now? Let's look at how countries are managing their recycling systems, and how it compares to systems back home.

• Slovenia has a municipal recycling rate of 72%, making it the country with the most efficient recycling systems in the world.

This is remarkable considering just 15 or so years ago, Slovenian waste went straight to the landfill. After a total 360, the government set a goal to achieve a 75% recycling rate by 2025, and they are on track to achieve that goal, making them an example to emulate.

• Germany's municipal recycling rate is 67%, just 5% less than Slovenia - making it the second-best recycling system in the world.
• In third place is South Korea, with a recycling rate of 65%, just 2% less than Germany and 7% less than Slovenia.
• In places 4-7 are Austria with 59%, the Netherlands with 57% and Lithuania, also with 57%.
• The final three places in the top 10 belong to Italy and Belgium, tied at 55%, and Switzerland with a 53% municipal recycling rate.

All the international countries in the top 10 are recycling more than half of their waste. In terms of resource saving, this means less waste left stagnant in their landfills‚ and far less greenhouse gasses worsening the climate crisis.

• Globally, 367 million metric tons of plastic was produced in 2020, a 0.3% decrease because of COVID-19.

Even though COVID-19 shut down the world, plastic production managed to remain high. This is a strong indicator that more plastic recycling programs are needed everywhere, including experimental chemical recycling processes.

• 3 billion tons of food is wasted globally every year, which roughly amounts to a third of all food grown for people to eat.

If your local municipality can discover ways to reduce food waste, you will be contributing to one of the largest and most pressing waste issues of our time.

The Top 3 Federal Recycling Facts (USA)

For context, here are a few recycling facts on the federal level.

• There is currently no federal law that enforces recycling in the United States. The US government allows local governments to handle their own recycling legislature.

This gives you the opportunity to enact real change on a local level, if you discover methods that will significantly improve recycling in your municipality.

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a national recycling strategy that speaks about the circular economy and how to realize a more cost-effective domestic recycling system.
• The EPA encourages private corporations, federal offices and agencies, state, local and tribal partners to sign the America Recycles Day Pledge.

The pledge encourages private companies and municipal institutions to work together to solve the mounting recycling crisis. This year, consider partnering with local business to enact real change.

4 Key State Recycling Statistics (USA)

An epic report was released recently that ranked US states according to their recycling rates for key materials, and success in implementing innovative recycling programs. Here are some results.

• The top 3 States with best recycling rates include Maine (72%), Vermont (62%) and Massachusetts (55%).
• The States with the worst recycling rates are West Virginia (2%), Louisiana (4%) and Alaska (6%).
• Among the top 10 recycling States were Oregon, New York, New Jersey, and Iowa.
• Among the bottom 10 recycling States were Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

The report found that recycling leaders should prioritize reducing landfill materials that produce the most greenhouse gasses (see our article on green waste priority here).The findings also pointed out that the quantity of materials collected for recycling, was not the same as the actual amounts processed. Clearly wish-cycling is still a massive problem in the US.System improvements like curbside programs, deposit return systems and new technologies were critical to recycling infrastructure.

The Top 8 Material Recycling Statistics (USA)

It's important that we understand how specific materials are recycled and how to help residents recycle better. Below are some important recycling statistics to orientate you on the current state of things.

• Between 1990 and 2020, the paper recycling rate improved from 33.5% in 1990, to 65.7% in 2020, down from a high of 68.1% in 2018. Americans are recycling less paper products.
• 6% of all municipal solid waste recycled in 2018, was paper and cardboard.

COVID-19 impacted the recycling industry in a host of different ways. While many residents recycled more, some statistics (like the one above) show that people weren't as concerned with recycling as they have been in previous years. Understandable, but not ideal for incremental recycling improvement. How could this be corrected in the years to come?

• Metals (12.6%) were the second most recycled material in the US in 2018.
• The most recycled metals as of 2019 include lead (76%), titanium (60%), magnesium (52%) and aluminum (51%).

Scrap metals and cans remain key recycling materials that should be a central focus for all recycling programs.

• Rubber, textiles, and leather (6.1%) were the third largest material set, with wood coming in fourth at 4.5%.
• The two least recycled materials were plastics (4.5%) and glass (4.4%)
• The most common plastic resin recycled in the US is PET plastic (980), then HDPE (560) and LDPE (370) coming in third.
• In 2018, only 18.5% of the total PET waste generated in America was recycled.

Stronger plastic recycling practices should be put in place, while other materials like metals and glass become easier to recycle. Adding these to curbside programs or creating greater visibility in communities will help residents know where and how to recycle these materials.

What Americans Recycle

Finally, let's look at what residents are recycling. These statistics show the behavior of the average American family.

• 85% of what Americans recycle is made up of plastic products.
• 81% of the types of waste recycled is paper or cardboard.
• 76% is metal or aluminum, usually cans.
• 69% of what is recycled is glass.
• 42% of recyclables are considered electronic waste, or e-waste.
• Only 19% of what is recycled is green waste, or compostable.

Based on these recycling statistics, you can see how important infrastructure, visibility and ease-of-use is for keeping residents recycling right. Take a pragmatic look at how your municipality equips your local community with the means to make better recycling decisions.Draw up plans and funding pitches and find innovative ways to rollout programs that will meet the unique needs of your local municipality. Together with Recycle Coach, you can drastically improve the way people recycle over the next few years.

Green waste recycling is the best way your municipality can help reduce greenhouse gasses.In the past, municipalities have collected green waste in the form of yard trimmings and garden-related organic materials. Very rarely did it ever include food scraps or compostable food items unless the program was specifically created to include other putrefiable materials.This is changing, and for good reason.As municipalities look for ways to reduce climate change, green waste has emerged as a viable solution. By lessening the impact that landfills have on the environment, every municipality in North America can help combat harmful gasses in the future.Consider:

• Composted food and yard trimmings increased by 5 million tons between 2015 and 2018, according to the latest data from the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Landfills in North America received 5 million tons of yard trimmings, which made up 7.2% of the total municipal solid waste landfilled in 2018.

With stagnant or absent green waste programs, rising yard and food waste collections, and an increasing need to educate the public about composting, there's so much that can be done to help.Here is why (and how) green waste recycling should be a top priority.

It Reduces Methane in Landfills

How much do you really know about methane?The average landfill in North America is jam-packed with green waste. When left to decay in a landfill it creates enormous amounts of methane gas. As you may already know, methane is one of the greenhouse gasses that is contributing to climate change disaster.

The good news is that you can make a significant impact on the amount of gasses being released from your local municipal landfills with a methane reduction strategy. To tackle the issue there are a few tactics you can look at implementing now.

#1: Mandatory Green Waste Collections

In 2022, California implementedSenate Bill 1383.The bill makes throwing organic waste into the trash illegal, a positive step that can and should be implemented nationwide. California is taking active steps to reduce methane in their landfills by rolling out accessible green waste collection programs run by various municipalities.This means the public gets green bins, and the government help in hauling away the yard and food waste that would have wound up at the landfill. With stringent rules in place, businesses will also have to change the way they dispose of their organic waste.

Less food and yard trimmings mean less hydrocarbons escaping. Methane doesn't last as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, so focusing on this gas has a lasting positive impact on reducing climate risk.An accessible green waste collection program encourages your residents to use their green bins, and together you will avoid adding methane emissions to the landfill.

#2: Methane Vacuum and Combustion (Energy Recovery)

Many landfills already have energy recovery programs that vacuum up the leaking methane, which is then combusted and converted into energy. Your municipality could lead the way in making sure that every landfill in your district is using energy recovery to reduce methane leakage.Improving green waste recycling will take time, and a lot of organic waste will continue to find its way into your landfills. When it does, make sure that you are collecting the harmful gasses and putting them to good use for your community.

Biogas is 50-70% methane, and once collected can be used to produce heat and electricity, or to create biomethane which is a renewable gas used as vehicle fuel. Look into improving the energy recovery practices at your local landfill.

#3: Increase Public Education on Composting

Official statistics show an encouraging uptick in municipalities offering viable composting programs for their residents. San Francisco composts 255,500 tons of organic material each year, while Vermont has already banned residents from green waste disposal that ends up at the dump.If your municipality doesn't have a composting program or needs to increase the way you educate your residents on how to compost, this is a great time to do it.Green waste recycling is a critical step. Take action and build mandatory green waste collections into your waste removal system. Ramp up your investment in energy recovery to deal with the methane that does make it through, and educate your residents on composting and recycling better.