Americans produced an increasing amount of waste in the years after World War II. During that time, landfills became the most popular form of garbage disposal. When these began filling up in the 1970s, Americans opted for alternatives like recycling.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began reporting data on waste collection and disposal shortly after its founding in 1970. The agency uses the term municipal solid waste for trash that consumers throw away after use.
Paper and paperboard products accounted for the largest share of municipal solid waste in 2018 at 23%, followed by food at 21.6%, plastics at 12.2%, and yard trimmings (12.1%). The EPA does not include construction and demolition (C&D) debris, wastewater sludge, and non-hazardous industrial wastes as municipal solid waste.
