Reuse Saves Landfill Space.
Each step involved in making a product — from manufacturing
through marketing — creates waste. Then there's
the waste produced when we're done with an item and we
simply throw it away. Whether it's hazardous chemicals,
bulky paper and plastic packaging, or an outgrown pair
of shoes, it all has to go somewhere!
This chart shows how much waste we generate in each category.
Keeping Valuable Items Out of the Landfill
As you can see below, some of that waste is recovered for reuse and recycling. But, we can still do more!
We recovered 36% of the nearly 17 million tons of metal waste generated in 1998, including:
- large and small appliances
- roofing
- small equipment
- shipping containers
We recovered just 13% of the 15 million tons of textile, rubber,
and leather waste generated in 1998, such as:
- clothing, linens, and rags
- shoes and belts
- tires and rubber mats
What else do we throw away that could be reused?
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