Did you know total annual Municipal Solid Waste generation in the U.S. has increased by 73% since 1980, to the current level of about 262 million tons per year? Can you imagine what it is now!?
Further, generation increased by 22% over the same time period, from 3.7 pounds to 4.5 pounds per person each day, although per capita generation has decreased slightly since 1990.
For comparison, MSW generation rates (in lbs/person/day) are 2.8 in Sweden, 3.7 in Germany, and 2.9 in the United Kingdom.
At the current per capita rate, an average American weighing 180 pounds generates their own weight in MSW every 41 days.