The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) introduced its new Data & Policy Report “Municipal Solid Waste Management in the U.S.: 2010 & 2013” at the Waste360 Recycling Summit, held September 19 – 21, 2016 in Austin, Texas. EREF’s Data & Policy Program (formerly named the Internal Research Program) was developed as part of the foundation’s effort to expand its mission to advance knowledge and education for sustainable materials management. Data & Policy projects focus on expanding knowledge of current state of practice, policies and trends in solid waste management. Current Data & Policy projects and reports include:
- Anaerobic Digestion of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) report available
- MSW as a Biofuel Feedstock report available
- MSW Management in the U.S. 2010 & 2013 report available
- Recycling Policy Goals and Definitions
- Landfill Gas Collection and Beneficial Use
- Landfill Leachate Quality and Management
- Commercial and Institutional Waste Management
“The Data & Policy program provides a valuable experience to undergraduate and graduate students who assist in data gathering and analysis,” said EREF CEO Bryan Staley, Ph.D., P.E. “After their internship, 80% of Data & Policy interns work in solid waste or related sustainability fields.”
Municipal Solid Waste Management in the U.S.: 2010 & 2013
This report summarizes the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) managed at landfills, waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerators, composting and recycling facilities in the United States. The amount of waste was estimated from over 9,000 landfills, WTE incinerators, recycling, and composting facilities actively managing MSW.
Detailed information for each management endpoint, including national, regional, and/or statewide statistics is provided, including:
- Number and types facilities
- Tonnage managed via landfilling, WTE, composting and recycling
- Regional differences in waste management
- Interstate transport of MSW
- Ownership demographics
- Types of non-MSW materials managed at MSW facilities (e.g. C&D at MSW landfills)
- MRF residual (i.e. contamination) rate
This study represents the first comprehensive evaluation of MSW management based on a bottom-up facility-based methodology, which was developed in an effort to more accurately and discretely track how MSW is managed in the U.S. The table below compares summary results from this effort compared to the US EPA’s Facts and Figures report.
This report is being offered at a price of $185 per copy, and a 15% discount was offered to all Waste360 Recycling Summit attendees. Purchase of the report also supports a good cause. Proceeds from report sales are used to support internships for college students, who gain valuable experience in the solid waste field while working towards their degree.
For more information, visit www.erefdn.org.