As staggering global mountains of waste are set to almost double by 2050, this deep dive into the solid waste industry reveals the daunting scale of our disposal challenge and the critical race for sustainable solutions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the United States generated approximately 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), equivalent to 4.9 pounds per person per day
- Globally, municipal solid waste generation is expected to increase to 3.88 billion tons by 2050 from 2.3 billion tons in 2020
- In the European Union, total municipal waste generated in 2020 was 211 million tonnes, with an average of 472 kg per inhabitant
- Food waste accounts for 57% of total organic waste generated in US households in 2022
- Paper and paperboard comprised 23% of US MSW generation in 2018, totaling 67.4 million tons
- Plastics made up 18.5% of US MSW generated in 2022, about 54 million tons
- Globally, 32.5% of solid waste collected is curbside in urban areas
- US waste collection services market size was $25.3 billion in 2023
- 75% of US MSW is collected curbside, 25% drop-off in 2022
- In 2022, US MSW recycling rate was 32.1%, composting 17%, total recovery 69 million tons
- EU recycling rate for municipal waste hit 48.7% in 2022, up from 18% in 1995
- Global recycling rate for plastics is only 9% as of 2023
- US landfills received 146 million tons of MSW in 2022, 50% of generation
- There are 2,598 active MSW landfills in the US as of 2023
- Global landfill disposal accounts for 37% of MSW, incineration 11%, recycling 13.5% in 2020
The world produces vast and growing amounts of trash, but recycling rates vary widely by country.
Landfills and Disposal
- US landfills received 146 million tons of MSW in 2022, 50% of generation
- There are 2,598 active MSW landfills in the US as of 2023
- Global landfill disposal accounts for 37% of MSW, incineration 11%, recycling 13.5% in 2020
- EU landfilled only 22% of municipal waste in 2022, down from 66% in 1995
- China landfilled 52% of MSW in 2022, incinerated 47%
- India landfilled or dumped openly 70% of MSW in 2023
- Brazil landfilled 40% of MSW in 2022
- Japan landfilled only 1% of MSW in 2022, incinerated 79%
- Canada landfilled 52% of MSW in 2021
- Australia landfilled 20.6 million tonnes in 2020-21, 27% of total waste
- South Korea landfilled 2% of MSW in 2022
- Germany landfilled less than 1% of MSW in 2021, incinerated 34%
- Mexico landfilled 80% of urban waste in 2022
- UK landfilled 11.8 million tonnes of household waste in 2022/23, 40%
- Saudi Arabia landfilled 55% of MSW in 2022
- US landfills capture 75% of landfill gas for energy in monitored sites
- Global open dumping affects 93% of waste in low-income countries
- California has 132 active landfills, receiving 18.5 million tons annually in 2022
- NYC sends 6,000 tons daily to landfills/incinerators
- US incineration with energy recovery processes 34 million tons MSW yearly
- World has over 40,000 large dumpsites
- Landfill methane emissions are 15% of US anthropogenic methane in 2022
- EU incineration rate for MSW is 25% in 2022
Landfills and Disposal Interpretation
While the world buries its trash in a chaotic patchwork of good, bad, and ugly habits—from Germany's near-zero landfill rate to the 93% of waste openly dumped in low-income nations—the only universal truth is that humanity's most reliable export remains its own garbage.
Recycling and Recovery
- In 2022, US MSW recycling rate was 32.1%, composting 17%, total recovery 69 million tons
- EU recycling rate for municipal waste hit 48.7% in 2022, up from 18% in 1995
- Global recycling rate for plastics is only 9% as of 2023
- US recycled 67 million tons of paper in 2022, 69% recovery rate
- China's recycling rate for MSW was 37% in 2022
- India recycled 20% of MSW in 2023, mainly metals and plastics
- Brazil MSW recycling rate is 4% officially, but informal sector recovers 30% in 2022
- Japan recycles 84% of plastics, 20% of total MSW in 2022
- Canada recycled 23% of MSW in 2021, composted 6%
- Australia recycled 59 million tonnes of waste in 2020-21, 77% of total managed
- South Korea MSW recycling rate 59.3% in 2022
- Germany recycled 68% of MSW in 2021, landfilled 1%
- Mexico recycled 12% of urban waste in 2022
- UK recycled or composted 45% of household waste in 2022/23
- Saudi Arabia recycled 25% of MSW in 2022
- Global e-waste recycling rate is 22.3% in 2022, 82 million tons generated
- US aluminum cans recycled at 52% rate in 2022, saving 14 million tons CO2
- EU glass recycling rate 74.6% in 2022
- India composts 5% of organic waste formally in 2023
- NYC recycling rate 17.2% in FY2022
- California recycled 66% of disposed waste in 2022
Recycling and Recovery Interpretation
America seems to think 32% is a good grade, but Germany's 68% shows it's actually possible to major in trash.
Waste Collection and Management
- Globally, 32.5% of solid waste collected is curbside in urban areas
- US waste collection services market size was $25.3 billion in 2023
- 75% of US MSW is collected curbside, 25% drop-off in 2022
- EU municipal waste collection rate reached 72% in 2020
- China's urban waste collection coverage is 99% in cities over 1 million population in 2022
- India collects only 70% of generated MSW, with 31% uncollected in 2023
- Brazil's waste collection coverage is 90.4% nationwide in 2022
- Japan has 99.9% municipal waste collection rate in 2022
- Canada collects 82% of residential waste through municipal services in 2021
- Australia's kerbside collection handles 60% of household waste in 2020-21
- South Korea's separate collection for recyclables covers 95% of population in 2022
- Germany collects 80% of MSW via public systems, private 20% in 2021
- Mexico urban collection rate is 85% in 2022
- UK household waste collected by local authorities: 26.6 million tonnes in 2022/23
- Saudi Arabia collects 85% of MSW, with private sector handling 60% in 2022
- Nigeria's Lagos collects 70% of 10,000 tons daily waste in 2023
- Waste collection trucks in US number over 140,000 in 2023
- NYC collects 12,000 tons of residential waste daily via 2,000 trucks in 2022
- Global waste collection labor force is 18 million people in 2020
- US waste transfer stations process 40% of collected MSW in 2021
Waste Collection and Management Interpretation
Globally, our success at hiding the trash is impressively uneven, as some nations treat curbside collection like a civic religion while others are still searching for enough trucks and bins to join the congregation.
Waste Composition
- Food waste accounts for 57% of total organic waste generated in US households in 2022
- Paper and paperboard comprised 23% of US MSW generation in 2018, totaling 67.4 million tons
- Plastics made up 18.5% of US MSW generated in 2022, about 54 million tons
- Metals represented 9.1% of US MSW in 2018, 26.2 million tons
- Glass was 4.9% of US MSW generation in 2022, 14.3 million tons
- Rubber and leather accounted for 7.8% of EU municipal waste in 2020
- Organic waste constitutes 52% of waste in developing countries, per World Bank 2018 data
- In India, organic waste is 51% of MSW composition in 2023
- Plastics comprise 12% of landfill waste in the US in 2021
- Textiles made up 5.8% of US MSW generated in 2018, 16.9 million tons
- Yard trimmings were 12.3% of US MSW in 2022, 36 million tons
- Wood contributed 6.2% to US MSW in 2018, 18 million tons
- Other wastes (inert, electronics) were 11.5% of global MSW composition in 2020
- Hazardous waste in EU MSW was 1.2% in 2020
- In Brazil, organic matter is 38% of MSW, plastics 15% in 2022
- Japan's food waste composition in MSW is 36% in 2022
- Canada's residential waste has 30% organics in 2021
- Australia's construction waste is 28% of total waste composition in 2020-21
- South Korea's plastic waste is 20% of MSW in 2022
- Germany's paper waste is 32% of MSW in 2021
- Mexico's organic waste is 47% of urban MSW in 2022
- UK's plastic packaging waste is 2.3 million tonnes annually, 64% of total plastic
- In California, food waste is 18% of disposed waste in 2022
- NYC residential waste paper is 15%, plastics 10% in FY2022
- US landfills receive 50% paper, plastics, metals by weight in 2021
- In 2022, 69 million tons of paper and paperboard were generated in the US
- Electronic waste globally contains 62 different metals including gold and silver
- Construction and demolition debris is 92% of total industrial waste in US
- Batteries contribute 0.5% to household hazardous waste in EU
Waste Composition Interpretation
We are literally drowning in our own excess, where half of what we discard is organic matter and a third is paper, yet our relentless plastic and packaging consumption clogs the planet’s arteries.
Waste Generation
- In 2022, the United States generated approximately 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), equivalent to 4.9 pounds per person per day
- Globally, municipal solid waste generation is expected to increase to 3.88 billion tons by 2050 from 2.3 billion tons in 2020
- In the European Union, total municipal waste generated in 2020 was 211 million tonnes, with an average of 472 kg per inhabitant
- China's urban solid waste generation reached 253 million tons in 2022, growing at 5% annually
- India produced over 62 million tonnes of solid waste in 2023, with metropolitan cities contributing 62%
- Brazil generated 80 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2022, averaging 1.04 kg per capita daily
- Japan produced 41.5 million tons of municipal solid waste in FY2022, down 1.2% from previous year
- In 2021, Canada generated 25.8 million tonnes of non-hazardous solid waste, with residential sources at 31%
- Australia's total waste generation in 2020-21 was 76.1 million tonnes, up 13% from 2018-19
- South Korea generated 20.8 million tons of municipal waste in 2022, with food waste at 25.7%
- Germany's municipal solid waste generation was 49.5 million tons in 2021, 624 kg per capita
- Mexico produced 46.3 million tons of urban solid waste in 2022, averaging 1.1 kg per person daily
- In 2023, the UK generated 27.2 million tonnes of household waste, 383 kg per person
- Saudi Arabia's solid waste generation reached 16.5 million tons in 2022, projected to 20 million by 2030
- Nigeria urban areas generate 32 million tons of solid waste annually as of 2023
- In 2022, California alone generated 38.7 million tons of disposed waste
- New York City produced 3.8 million tons of residential waste in FY2022
- Texas MSW generation was 35 million tons in 2020, 2.8 tons per capita annually
- Florida generated 44.3 million tons of solid waste in 2022
- In 2021, the global plastic waste generation was 353 million tonnes
Waste Generation Interpretation
While humanity’s global output of waste is rocketing toward a staggering 4 billion tons annually, each of us is still just an individual casually contributing our own nearly five-pound daily offering to the pile.
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