EPA Shows MSW Flat in 2011…Final Stats Questioned

SWANA Executive Director and CEO, John Skinner, comments on the EPA's "Trash Bible" findings.

Americans generated about the same amount of waste in 2011 as they did in 2010, but they didn't dispose of it in exactly the same way as recycling efforts picked up a bit of steam.

About 250.4 million tons of trash left U.S. households and 34.7% of it was recycled or composted, up from the 34.0% of materials recovered in 2010, when 250.5 million tons of municipal solid waste was recorded, according to the report issued by the U.S. EPA.

On average, individuals generated 4.4 pounds of waste and diverted 1.53 pounds to recycling and composting.

Or, did they?