Top 25 recycling facts and statistics for 2022

The widely circulated statistic that 9% of plastic waste is recycled in the U.S. has now been deemed an overestimate. Here are some stats that show how recycling has changed in recent years: 

1. Of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the U.S. in 2021, only 5% to 6% — or about two million tons — was recycled.

2. Between 2019 and 2020, there was a 5.7% overall decrease in plastics recovered for recycling in the U.S. That is the equivalent of 290 million pounds.

3. Approximately 36% of all plastic produced is used to create packaging, 85% of which ends up in landfills.

4. About 98% of single-use plastic products are made from fossil fuels.

5. Globally, we produce about 400 million tons of plastic waste yearly.

6. Until recently, the U.S. outsourced a significant portion of its plastic, but import bans in countries like China and Turkey have fueled a decline in recycling.