* Landfilling after recycling, composting, other food management pathways and combustion with energy recovery. Does not include construction &
demolition debris, industrial process wastes or certain other wastes. Details may not add to totals due to rounding. ** Includes electrolytes in batteries and fluff pulp, feces and urine in disposable diapers. *** Miscellaneous inorganic wastes in municipal solid waste (MSW) in this analysis includes soil, bits of concrete, and stones.
Citation formats
Breakdown of landfilled municipal solid waste materials in the U.S. 2018, by type
Food accounted for roughly **** of municipal solid waste landfilled in the United States in 2018. This was followed by plastics, which represented the second largest share with **** percent. The volume of MSW landfilled in the U.S. has increased by ** percent since 1960 to *** million tons.
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Environmental Protection Agency. (January 23, 2021). Distribution of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled in the United States in 2018, by material* [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 24, 2026, from /statistics/1232038/breakdown-municipal-solid-waste-landfilled-in-the-us-by-material/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Distribution of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled in the United States in 2018, by material*." Chart. January 23, 2021. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 24, 2026. /statistics/1232038/breakdown-municipal-solid-waste-landfilled-in-the-us-by-material/
Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Distribution of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled in the United States in 2018, by material*. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 24, 2026. /statistics/1232038/breakdown-municipal-solid-waste-landfilled-in-the-us-by-material/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Distribution of Municipal Solid Waste (Msw) Landfilled in The United States in 2018, by Material*." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 23 Jan 2021, /statistics/1232038/breakdown-municipal-solid-waste-landfilled-in-the-us-by-material/
Environmental Protection Agency, Distribution of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled in the United States in 2018, by material* ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1232038/breakdown-municipal-solid-waste-landfilled-in-the-us-by-material/ (last visited July 24, 2026)
Distribution of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled in the United States in 2018, by material* [Graph], Environmental Protection Agency, January 23, 2021. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1232038/breakdown-municipal-solid-waste-landfilled-in-the-us-by-material/
