Monday, May 10, 2010

Recycling Facts

Good morning everyone!  I came across this site while searching for something else and I thought it would be perfect for the blog.  All information is from www.recyclingfacts.org

Below are some of the latest facts about recycling:
  • Each person creates about 4.7 pounds of waste every single day
  • In the US 33.4% of solid waste is either recycled or composted, 12.6% is burned in combustion facilities and 54% makes it's way into landfills
  • In 2007 99% of lead acid batteries were recycled, 54% of paper and paperboard were recycled, 64% of yard trimmings are recycled and nearly 35% of metals were recycled
  • The amount of recycling in 2007 saved the energy equivalent of 10.7 billion gallons of gasoline and prevented the release of carbon dioxide of approximately 35 million cars
  • The number of landfills in the US are decreasing while their size is increasing. In 1998 there were 8,000 landfills but only 1,754 in 2007
  • Each ton of mixed paper that is recycled can save the energy equivalent to 185 gallons of gasoline
  • Approximately 8,660 curbside recycling programs exist in the United States
  • There are about 3,510 community composting programs in the United States
  • Disposal of waste to landfills has decreased from 89% in 1980 to 54% in 2007
  • Recycling 1 ton of aluminum cans conserves the equivalent of 1,665 gallons of gasoline
  • In 2007 the United States recycled and composted 85 million tons of the 254 million tons of municipal solid waste created
(source: epa.gov)

What are your thoughts on these facts?

1 comment:

  1. We are getting better, maybe someday most of the percentages will be 100%.

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