Americans are generating substantial amounts of municipal solid waste each year, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest comprehensive data from 2018 showing a total of 292.4 million tons. Of this, approximately 146.2 million tons were sent to landfills, equating to about 4.9 pounds per person daily. This waste is primarily composed of food and plastics, which are the leading materials filling U.S. landfills.

Food Waste: A Major Contributor

Food waste remains the largest component by weight in U.S. landfills. In 2018, food accounted for roughly 24% of landfilled municipal solid waste (MSW), with estimates placing annual U.S. food waste at nearly 60 million tons, or about 325 pounds per person. This represents approximately 40% of the food supply, according to RTS. The rapid decomposition of this material in landfills is a significant driver of methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

Plastics: A Persistent Problem

Plastics are another major contributor, with 35.7 million tons generated in 2018 and 27 million tons landfilled. Despite efforts to recycle, the rates remain low, with EPA figures showing around 9% recycling rates for plastics in MSW. Single-use items, such as coffee pods, highlight the challenge, as they are difficult to recycle and can take centuries to decompose.

Environmental and Economic Impacts

Landfills are the third-largest source of human-caused methane emissions in the U.S., contributing significantly to national climate totals. Methane, with approximately 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, poses a substantial environmental challenge. Additionally, households may face increased costs due to rising tipping fees, which averaged over $62 per ton in 2024, potentially impacting garbage collection costs.

Solutions and Future Outlook

To mitigate these issues, households can reduce landfill contributions by composting food scraps, using reusable items, and adhering to local recycling guidelines. Source reduction, such as buying less packaged goods and planning meals to minimize food waste, directly lowers the volume of waste generated. Long-term management of landfill sites, including methane emissions and leachate, remains necessary to protect groundwater and soil quality.

Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.