Sunday November 15 saw the annual America Recycles Day, a chance to raise awareness of how Americans can give garbage another life. Continuing with this admirable challenge, Best in American Living has some additional information–in the infographic and following stats below–to help make recycling a real part of your daily life at home and work:
The recyclable materials in the U.S. waste stream would generate over $7 billion if they were recycled.
–Keep America Beautiful
The average person generates over four pounds of trash every day and about 1.5 tons of solid waste per year. Americans make more than 200 million tons of garbage each year, enough to fill St. Louis’ Busch Stadium from top to bottom twice a day.
–DoSomething.org
On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to $75 to incinerate it.
—Brigham Young University – Idaho
Aluminum cans can be recycled and reused within 60 days. Used aluminum cans can be recycled and used in various products like vehicle parts and sliding shutters for windows and doors. Steel is another metal that can be recycled completely and can save tons of iron ore, coal, and energy.
–All-Recycling-Facts.com
At more than 64,000,000 tons in 2015 so far, steel is North America’s most recycled material. More steel is recycled annually than paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass combined. This is because steel scrap is an essential raw material in making new steel.
Estimated Tons Recycled By Material Since January 1, 2015
Steel 64,000,000
Paper 43,516,802
Aluminum 3,886,937
Glass 2,644,807
Plastic 1,994,168
—Steel Recycling Institute
