MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IN THE UNITED STATES: 2011 FACTS AND FIGURES

This report describes the national municipal solid waste (MSW) stream based on data collected for 1960 through 2011. The historical perspective is useful for establishing trends in types of MSW generated and in the ways it is managed. In this Executive Summary, we briefly describe the methodology used to characterize MSW in the United States and provide the latest facts and figures on MSW generation, recycling, and disposal.