Executive Summary Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste In The United States: 1998 Update Prepared for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division Office of Solid Waste Report No. EPA530- by Franklin Associates A Service of McLaren/Hart Prairie Village, KS July 1999 CHARACTERIZATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IN THE UNITED STATES: 1998 UPDATE Table of Contents Chapter Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 Features of this Report 1 Report Highlights 2 Trends in MSW Management 3 Waste Generation 3 Recycling Including Composting 4 Disposal 4 Municipal Solid Waste in 1997 8 Materials in MSW 8 Products in MSW 9 Residential and Commercial Sources of MSW 11 Management of MSW 13 Source Reduction 14 Recovery 14 Combustion 14 Landfilling 15 Projections of MSW Generation and Management 15 MSW Generation 15 MSW Management 16 1 INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY 18 Background 18 How this Report can be Used 18 Municipal Solid Waste in Perspective 20 Municipal Solid Waste Defined 20 Other Subtitle D wastes 21 The Solid Waste Management Hierarchy 22 Methodologies for Characterizing Municipal Solid Waste 22 The Two Methodologies 22 Definition of Terms 23 Materials and Products not Included in These Estimates 24 Overview of this Report 24 References 26 2 CHARACTERIZATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE BY WEIGHT 28 Introduction 28 Materials in Municipal Solid Waste 28 Paper and Paperboard 32 Glass 35 Ferrous Metals 37 Aluminum 39 Other Nonferrous Metals 40 Plastics 40 Other Materials 44 Food Wastes 46 Yard Trimmings 47 Miscellaneous Inorganic Wastes 48 Summary of Materials in Municipal Solid Waste 48 Products in Municipal Solid Waste 52 Durable Goods 52 Nondurable Goods 57 Containers and Packaging 66 Summary of Products in Municipal Solid Waste 75 Summary 79 MSW Generation 79 MSW Recovery 79 Long Term Trends 80 References 81 3 MANAGEMENT OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE 91 Introduction 91 Source Reduction 91 Source Reduction Through Redesign 92 Modifying Practices to Reduce Materials Use 94 Reuse of Products and Packages 94 Management of Organic Materials 95 Recovery for Recycling (Including Composting) 96 Recyclables Collection 96 Recyclables Processing 99 Combustion 102 Residues From Waste Management Facilities 103 Landfill 104 Summary of Historical and Current MSW Management 104 References 108 4 PROJECTIONS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE GENERATION & MANAGEMENT 111 Introduction 111 Overview and Assumptions 111 Materials Generation in Municipal Solid Waste 111 Paper and Paperboard 112 Glass 113 Steel 113 Aluminum 114 Other Nonferrous Metals 114 Plastics 114 Wood Wastes 114 Other Materials 115 Food Wastes 115 Yard Trimmings 115 Projected Growth Rates for Materials in MSW 115 Product Generation in Municipal Solid Waste 116 Durable Goods 118 Nondurable Goods 119 Containers and Packaging 121 Summary 123 Projections of MSW Recovery 125 Discussion of Assumptions 126 Scenarios for 2000 127 Scenarios for 2005 129 Projections of MSW Discards After Recovery 129 Projections of MSW Combustion 130 Summary of Projected MSW Management 132 References 135 Appendix A Material Flows Methodology 136 Domestic Production 136 Converting Scrap 136 Adjustments for Imports/Exports 136 Diversion 136 Adjustments for Product Lifetime 139 Municipal Solid Waste Generation and Discards 139 B Additional Perspectives on Municipal Solid Waste 140 Generation and Discards by Individuals 140 Residential and Commercial Generation of MSW 142 Organic/Inorganic Fractions of MSW Discards 144 Ranking of Products in MSW by Weight 144 Characterization of MSW Discards by Volume 145 C Recovery Scenarios for 2000 and 2005 153 Discussion of Assumptions 153 D Estimates of Residential/Commercial Wastes 157 List of Tables Table Page ES-1 Generation, Materials Recovery, Composting, Combustion, and Discards of Municipal Solid Waste, 1960 to 1997 5 ES-2 Generation and Recovery of Materials in MSW, 1997 10 ES-3 Generation and Recovery of Products in MSW by Material, 1997 12 ES-4 Projections of Materials Generated in the Municipal Waste Stream: 2000 and 2005 16 Materials in the Municipal Solid Waste Stream, 1960 to 1997 1 Generated 29 2 Recovery 30 3 Discarded 31 Products in Municipal Solid Waste, 1997 4 Paper and Paperboard 32 5 Glass 35 6 Metal 38 7 Plastics 41 8 Rubber and Leather 45 Categories of Products in the Municipal Solid Waste Stream, 1960 to 1997 9 Generated 53 10 Recovery 54 11 Discarded 55 Products in MSW with Detail on Durable Goods, 1960 to 1997 12 Generated 58 13 Recovery 59 14 Discarded 60 Products in MSW with Detail on Nondurable Goods, 1960 to 1997 15 Generated 61 16 Recovery 62 17 Discarded 63 Products in MSW with Detail on Containers and Packaging, 1960 to 1997 18 Generated (by weight) 67 19 Generated (by percent) 68 20 Recovery (by weight) 69 21 Recovery (by percent) 70 22 Discarded (by weight) 71 23 Discarded (by percent) 72 Management of Municipal Solid Waste 24 Selected Examples of Source Reduction Practices 93 25 Number and Population Served by Curbside Recyclables Collection Programs, 1997 97 26 Materials Recovery Facilities, 1997 99 27 Municipal Waste Combustors, 1997 103 28 Landfill Facilities, 1997 105 29 Generation, Materials Recovery, Composting, Combustion, and Discards of Municipal Solid Waste, 1960 to 1997 106 Projections of Municipal Solid Waste Generation and Management 30 Projections of Materials Generated in the Municipal Waste Stream: 1997, 2000, and 2005 112 31 Average Annual Rates of Increase (or Decrease) of Generation of Materials in MSW 116 32 Projections of Categories of Products Generated in the Municipal Waste Stream: 1997, 2000, and 2005 117 33 Projections of Products Generated in the Municipal Waste Stream: 1997, 2000, and 2005 (With Details on Durable Goods) 118 34 Projections of Products Generated in the Municipal Waste Stream: 1997, 2000, and 2005 (With Detail on Nondurable Goods) 120 35 Projections of Products Generated in the Municipal Waste Stream: 1997, 2000, and 2005 (With Detail on Containers and Packaging) 122 36 Projected Generation and Ranges of Recovery, 2000 128 37 Projected Generation and Ranges of Recovery, 2005 130 38 Projections of Materials Discarded in MSW: 1997, 2000, and 2005 131 39 Generation, Recovery, Combustion, and Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste: 1997, 2000, and 2005 132 Additional Perspectives on Municipal Solid Waste B-1 Per Capita Generation, Materials Recovery, Combustion, and Discards of Municipal Solid Waste, 1960 to 1997 141 B-2 Per Capita Generation of Material Solid Waste, by Material, 1960 to 1997 142 B-3 Classification of MSW Generation into Residential and Commercial Fractions, 1997 143 B-4 Composition of MSW Discards by Organic and Inorganic Fractions, 1960 to 1997 144 B-5 Generation of Municipal Solid Waste, 1997 Arranged in Descending Order by Weight 146 B-6 Recovery of Municipal Solid Waste, 1997 Arranged in Descending Order by Weight 147 B-7 Discards of Municipal Solid Waste, 1997 Arranged in Descending Order by Weight 148 B-8 Summary of Estimated Density Factors for Landfilled Materials 149 B-9 Estimated Volume of Products Discarded in MSW, 1997 150 B-10 Estimated Volume of Materials Discarded in MSW, 1997 152 Recovery Scenarios for 2000 and 2005 C-1 Scenarios for Recovery of MSW, 2000 155 C-2 Scenarios for Recovery of MSW, 2005 156 Estimates of Residential/Commercial Wastes D-1 Worksheet for Estimates of Residential/Commercial Fractions of MSW, 1997 158 List of Figures Figure Page ES-1 Total municipal solid waste generation and management, 1960 to 1997 6 ES-2 MSW recovery tonnages and rates, 1960 to 1997 6 ES-3 Materials generated in MSW by weight, 1997 9 ES-4 Products generated in MSW by weight, 1997 11 ES-5 Management of MSW in the U.S., 1997 13 ES-6 Historical and projected MSW, by category 17 1 Municipal solid waste in the universe of Subtitle D wastes 21 Materials Generated and Recovered in Municipal Solid Waste 2 Paper and paperboard products generated in MSW, 1997 33 3 Paper generation and recovery, 1960 to 1997 34 4 Glass products generated in MSW, 1997 36 5 Glass generation and recovery, 1960 to 1997 36 6 Metal products generated in MSW, 1997 37 7 Metals generation and recovery, 1960 to 1997 39 8 Plastics products generated in MSW, 1997 43 9 Plastics generation and recovery, 1960 to 1997 44 10 Generation of materials in MSW, 1960 to 1997 49 11 Recovery and discards of MSW, 1960 to 1997 50 12 Materials recovery, 1997 50 13 Materials generated and discarded in MSW, 1997 51 Products Generated and Recovered in Municipal Solid Waste 14 Generation of products in MSW, 1960 to 1997 76 15 Nondurable goods generated and discarded in MSW, 1997 77 16 Containers and packaging generated and discarded in MSW, 1997 78 Management of Municipal Solid Waste 17 Diagram of solid waste management 92 18 Population served by curbside recycling, 1997 97 19 States with deposit/redemption legislation 98 20 MRF throughput, 1997 100 21 Mixed waste processing capacity, 1997 101 22 MSW composting capacity, 1997 101 23 Yard trimmings composting programs, 1997 102 24 MSW combustion capacity, 1997 104 25 Number of landfills in the U.S., 1997 105 26 Municipal solid waste management, 1960 to 1997 107 Projections of Municipal Solid Waste Generation and Management 27 Materials generated in MSW, 1997, 2000, and 2005 113 28 Products generated in MSW, 1997, 2000, and 2005 117 29 Historical and projected generation of durable goods 119 30 Historical and projected generation of nondurable goods 121 31 Historical and projected generation of containers and packaging 123 32 Historical and projected generation of MSW 124 33 Historical and projected MSW, by category 124 34 Historical and projected recovery rates 125 35 Municipal solid waste management, 1960 to 2005 (weight) 133 36 Municipal solid waste management, 1960 to 2005 (percent) 134 Material Flows Methodology A-1 Material flows methodology for estimating generation of products and materials in MSW 137 A-2 Material flows methodology for estimating discards of products and materials in MSW 138 CHARACTERIZATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IN THE UNITED STATES: 1998 UPDATE Executive Summary FEATURES OF THIS REPORT This report is the latest in a series of reports published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describing the national municipal solid waste (MSW) stream. The report characterizes the national solid waste stream for 1997. It also discusses trends and highlights changes that have occurred over the years, both in the types of wastes generated and in the ways they are managed. Although the report does not specifically address local and regional variations in the waste stream, the data in the report can be used to develop approximate estimates of MSW generation and composition in defined areas. This report includes information on: Total MSW generation, recovery, and discards from 1960 to 1997. Per capita generation and discard rates. Materials (e.g., paper, glass, metals, plastic) that comprise MSW, as well as products (e.g., durable and nondurable goods, containers, packaging) found in the waste stream. Aggregate data on the infrastructure for MSW management, including estimates of the number of curbside recycling programs, drop-off centers, materials recovery facilities, and composting programs in the United States. Trends in MSW management from 1960 to 1997, including source reduction, recovery for recycling (including composting), and disposal via combustion and landfilling. Projections of MSW generation to the year 2005. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS In 1997, 217 million tons of MSW were generated in the U.S., or 4.4 pounds per person per day. Paper and yard trimmings account for over 51 percent of total generation. Of the total of 217 million tons of MSW generated, 28 percent was recycled, up from 10 percent in 1980 and 16 percent in 1990. The 217 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in 1997 was nearly 8 million tons more than in 1996, when MSW generation was 209 million tons. Historically, the increase in waste generation has been correlated with increased economic activity, and moderated by decreases in waste generation caused by source reduction activities such as backyard composting and leaving grass trimmings on the lawn. On a per capita basis, half of the increase in total MSW generation was offset by increased recycling. Between 1996 and 1997, almost all product categories increased in tonnage. This correlates with increased per capita consumer expenditures. The exceptions were glass and yard trimmings. Paper and paperboard products made up the largest percentage of all the materials in MSW, increasing by 4.2 million tons to 83.8 million tons, or 38.6 percent of total generation, in 1997. This increase was due to a rebound in newsprint production, and more production of printing and writing papers, containerboard (corrugated boxes), boxboard, and tissue paper. Yard trimmings comprised the second largest material category, estimated at 27.7 million tons, or 12.8 percent of total generation, in 1997. This compared to 35.0 million tons (17.1 percent of total generation) in 1990. This decline is largely due to state legislation affecting yard trimmings disposal in landfills, and due to source reduction measures such as backyard composting and leaving grass trimmings on the yard. From 1996 to 1997, the per capita generation of yard trimmings decreased by only 0.2 million tons. Recycling (including composting) recovered 28 percent (61 million tons) of MSW in 1997, up from 27 percent (57 million tons) in 1996.* There were nearly 9,000 curbside recycling programs in the United States in 1997, as well as more than 12,000 drop-off centers for recyclables. About 380 materials recovery facilities helped process the recyclables collected. About 3,500 yard trimmings composting programs were reported, up from about 2,300 reported in 1996. Recovery of paper and paperboard reached 42 percent (35 million tons) in 1997, accounting for more than half of the total MSW recovered. With greater generation of paper, more was available for recycling. In addition, 11.5 million tons of yard trimmings were recovered for composting in 1997, accounting for the second largest fraction of total recovery. The percentage of yard trimmings composted (41 percent) has more than doubled since 1992. This is due to increased numbers of yard trimmings facilities, more material being handled at facilities, and bans of yard trimmings from landfills by 22 states. From 1996 to 1997, however, composting increased by just one million tons, suggesting that much of the impact of the states' bans of yard trimmings from landfills had already taken place. The per capita discard rate (after recovery for recycling, including composting) was 3.2 pounds per person per day in 1997, up from 3.1 pounds per person per day in 1996. Landfills managed 55 percent of MSW generated (120 million tons), about the same percentage as in 1996. Combustion facilities managed 17 percent (37 million tons) of total MSW generated, about the same as in 1996. TRENDS IN MSW MANAGEMENT Table ES-1 and Figure ES-1 show the trends in MSW generation, materials recovery, and disposal over time. Waste Generation The waste generation figure of 217 million tons per year in 1997 is an increase of nearly 8 million tons from 1996, when MSW generation was 209 million tons. Looking at the longer term trend, generation increased steadily from 88 million tons in 1960 to 214 million tons in 1994. Generation decreased slightly in 1995 and 1996, then increased again in 1997. Increases in waste generation since 1960 have been correlated with increased economic activity as measured by gross domestic product and personal consumption expenditures. The waste generation has been limited by source reduction activities such as an increase in yard trimmings being composted on-site, and more grass trimmings being left on lawns. The decrease in waste generation in 1995 was due in large part to decreases in yard trimmings. This continued in 1996, and was supported by paper and paperboard generation decreases in 1996 as well. In 1997, generation of paper and paperboard increased by 4.2 million tons, compared to 1996, accounting for about half of the increase in waste generation over the last year. The per capita MSW generation rate for 1997 was 4.4 pounds per person per day, compared to 4.3 pounds per person per day in 1996. The longer term trend shows that the per capita waste generation rate increased from 2.7 pounds per person per day in 1960 to 4.5 pounds per person per day in 1990-decreasing to 4.4 in 1995, 4.3 in 1996, then rising again to 4.4 in 1997. Again, these changes are correlated with economic activity, but limited by source reduction. The per capita waste generation increase from 1996 to 1997 would have been even higher had no source reduction activities taken place. Recycling, Including Composting From 1996 to 1997 the recycling rate increased from 27 percent to 28 percent. This compares to a 10 percent recycling rate in 1980 and a 16 percent rate in 1990 (Figure ES-2). Although the rate of growth of recycling, including composting, is not as high as it was in the early 1990s, the tonnage of material recycled and composted has continued to grow, as has the per capita recycling rate. From 1996 to 1997 the per capita MSW generation rate, which is strongly correlated with economic activity, increased by 0.12 pounds per person per day. Half of this (0.06 pounds per person per day) went to increased recycling and half of this (0.06 pounds per person per day) went to increased disposal. Disposal In the 1960s and early 1970s, a large percentage of MSW was burned. Through the mid- 1980s, incineration declined considerably and landfills became more difficult to site. MSW generation continued to rise, however, while materials recovery rates increased slowly. As a result, the burden on the nation's landfills grew dramatically. Although there are now fewer municipal solid waste landfills, their average size has increased and capacity at the national level does not appear to be a problem. Regional dislocations do, however, sometimes occur. As recovery rates have increased, while combustion remained relatively constant, the percentage of MSW discarded to landfills has steadily decreased. _______________________________ * Data shown for years prior to 1997 have been adjusted to reflect the latest revisions to the data and methodology, and therefore may differ slightly from the same measure reported in previous updates.