Recycling Facts

Garbage in landfills is tightly packed and covered, preventing quick decomposition. U.S. residents and businesses generate 4.4 pounds of waste per person per day(EPA, 2001).

Missouri residents divert approximately2.6 million tons of waste from the landfill through recycling valuable resources (DNR, 2001).

Every day American businesses generate enough paper to circle the earth 20 times! (Resourceful Schools, 1999).

Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water! (Resourceful Schools, 1999).

One tree can filter up to 60 pounds of pollutants from the air each year. (Resourceful Schools, 1999).


Each year, Americans throw away 25 trillion styrofoam cups. (Resourceful Schools, 1999).


The energy saved from recycling one aluminum can will run your TV for 3 hours (Smurfit-Stone).


Five 2-liter plastic PET bottles (#1) can make 1 sq. ft. of polyester carpet and an XLG T-shirt! (Smurfit-Stone)


When you recycle one glass bottle, you save the amount of energy needed to light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours (Smurfit-Stone).
.