The sounds of a waste disposal vehicle driving down the street, collecting residential trash with each squeaking stop, are quite distinct. Hearing the groaning brakes and crunching compactor of a brightly painted, green garbage truck might bring back memories of being woken up early on dark, wintry weekday mornings as a kid. Waste disposal services have been a staple in the United States since the 1800s and the Industrial Revolution.

Humans need properly organized public works to keep cities and living spaces sanitary. Waste management services are integral in the United States, as we produce the highest levels of trash, recyclables, and other types of waste worldwide. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the United States only accounts for 4% of the world’s total population, yet produces upwards of 12% of the world’s waste.

With all the waste that Americans accumulate, it leaves many to wonder: where does it all go? Gear up, as we dumpster-dive into how the United States sorts out its trash.

What Is Waste?

Waste is defined as any unwanted or unusable material. Waste can also refer to any substance or material discarded after its primary use or if it is worthless or defective. Unfortunately, not all waste is actually unusable, and the amount of trash that American citizens throw away every day is staggering.

There are several different types of waste, including:

Solid waste
Liquid waste
Organic waste
Recyclable waste
Hazardous waste
Electronic waste

Each of these different waste types takes a unique route toward disposal, whether through composting, recycling, or going to a landfill. Below, we take a closer look at where your waste really winds up after trash collection day.

Trashing It: Taking a Closer Look at Waste Disposal in America

The EPA estimates that the average person tosses nearly 5 pounds of trash daily, tacking on to the total of 292.4 million tons of trash generation annually in America. All of that garbage has got to add up, but where does it all go at the end of the day? There are several different outlets for waste disposal in the United States, but before your garbage can be brought anywhere, it has to be sorted. There are two types of trash sorting facilities:

Transfer Stations - Garbage is brought to the transfer station for compacting before being brought on larger trucks to its final destination.
Material Recovery Facilities - Otherwise known as MRFs, this is where waste goes when it needs sorting. There are two types of MRFs:
- Clean MRFs - Receive recyclables that have already been sorted by homes and businesses
- Dirty MRFs - Process unsorted recyclables that are mixed with regular trash

Once your garbage has gone through an MRF, it can make its way to the final destination. Below we look at the different locations where waste winds up in the United States:

1. Landfills

Like most people, landfills are probably the first place you think of when talking about where trash ends up. Over 3,000 active landfills currently operate in the United States that account for over 50% of our country’s trash collection.

Landfills are a place where the trash can pile up, but it is not actively broken down. Each layer of waste in landfills is covered in clay and plastic coatings that help the refuse products decompose. Adequate drainage in landfills ensures that hazardous fluids from the collecting waste won’t have too harsh of an impact on the environment.

Decomposition in landfills is a slow process, and with how much waste we produce, they are quickly filling up across the country. Landfills aren’t great for the environment either, so many people look for alternatives like recycling and composting to get rid of garbage.

2. Recycling Plants

Another portion of America’s waste will go to recycling facilities, where the goal is to utilize waste to manufacture new products. Many household materials are recyclable and can be sorted before being put out for waste collection by your local waste management company. Recyclable products can include:

Plastics
Bottles
Glass
Cardboard
Paper products
Newspapers
Aluminum cans

Items like textiles and electronics are also recyclable but must be brought to specialty sorting centers for disposal. At the recycling center, items are sorted so they can be compacted and made ready for recycling into other new materials like paper, plastic, packaging, and even clothing.

3. Waste-to-Energy Centers

One other outlet where your waste might wind up is a waste-to-energy recycling center. These facilities utilize combustion to incinerate waste materials and make energy. Combustion recycling accounts for about 13% of our country’s municipal solid waste disposal efforts, and it a step towards a more sustainable future.

4. Composting

Composting is another sustainable trend on the rise in recent years. Composting is easy, and you can dispose of a lot more than you think with composting. Organic items like fruits, vegetables, and other food waste, plus paper products, pet hair, lint, and other organic matter, are all compostable.

To start a compost pile at home, you need the proper items for initial set up, but soon you’ll be on your way to safely breaking down waste in your own backyard. Some homeowners even use their compost as fertilizer for gardens and flower beds.

If keeping a compost pile on your property is not possible or not something you want to do, many municipalities offer compost pick up. You can receive a designated compost bin from your city or private waste removal company and schedule regular pick-ups.

Why We Need Waste Disposal Solutions

Waste disposal is one of the most vital facets of a well-functioning society. Whether you’re managing waste on a commercial property or just taking the trash out to the curb at your own home, it’s essential to know precisely where it’s going.

Sorting personal waste like paper products, bottles, and organic matter makes it easier for waste management companies to collect, distribute, and dispose of all your garbage. Keep your property clean and sanitary when you get the proper bins or roll-off dumpster containers to collect trash to be taken on to the next step in its lifespan.

Where Does Your Garbage Go?