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Municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling programs are highly localized activities, where materials are collected, sorted, processed, and converted into raw materials for the production of new products. Despite numerous reported benefits of recycling, many areas lack a dedicated program for various reasons, including economic challenges, and many materials that could be recycled are not. Recognizing a need to better understand the costs and benefits of administering MSW recycling programs, Congress called on the National Academies to conduct a study on the programmatic and economic costs of these programs and to produce recommendations to facilitate their effective implementation.
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Municipal Solid Waste Recycling in the United States: Analysis of Current and Alternative Approaches
Consensus Study Report
·2025
The United States generated approximately 292 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually, most of which (about 68 percent) were not recycled or composted. Recycling programs face a multitude of challenges today that complicate their stability, efficacy, and economic efficiency. However, a...
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