Table of Contents
Most households do some recycling, but the data show there is still plenty of room for improvement. According to reports, more than 3 out of 4 Americans recycle. But the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that just 32% of municipal solid waste is recycled. That gap means a lot of recyclable material is still going to landfill, instead of being recovered and reused. America Recycles Day, celebrated every year on Nov. 15, is a reminder that recycling can be an important way to help reduce waste and save resources. The EPA has also established a national goal to increase the nation’s recycling rate to 50% by 2030, so individual engagement is more crucial than ever.
Fortunately, recycling, and recycling properly, is easy and doesn’t require a huge lifestyle change. Valuable materials can be kept circulating and excess waste reduced over time through simple consistent habits. National Recycling Day is a great time to create such habits or reinforce the ones you already have.
The State of Recycling in America: A Quick Snapshot
Before you begin to make changes, it helps to understand where things stand with waste generation and recycling in the United States. The figures show where recycling is working and where there are opportunities to improve.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that the United States generates about 292 million tons of municipal solid waste every year.
- The average American produces about 4.9 pounds of garbage per day, which adds up to a lot of waste in a year.
- Food waste is the largest category of material going to U.S. landfills, making waste reduction at home an important part of the solution.
- Aluminum recycling uses around 95% less energy producing it from raw materials, yet only approximately 45% of the aluminum cans in the United States are recycled.
- In the U.S. only approximately 13% of clothing and footwear is recycled, leaving the vast majority of these textiles unrecycled.
These data help us see where we can change, and why even small changes are worth making. The solution is more than simply recycling. The choices you make before anything hits the recycle bin can have an even greater effect.
Start with these five simple activities to make National Recycling Day count.
1. Reuse Before You Recycle
The most effective waste reduction happens before you reach for the recycling bin. The waste hierarchy is simple: buy less, reuse what you can and recycle only when something is at the end of its useful life. Start with everyday swaps:
- Replace single-use plastic bags with reusable tote bags
- Switch to rechargeable batteries
- Carry a reusable water bottle/travel cup
Before you throw something away, consider if it can be repaired, donated, or repurposed.
Mend clothes instead of replacing them, save wrapping paper and newspapers for future gifts, use take-out containers to store hardware or dry goods, and reuse glass containers to store dry goods. A product does not always have to be used for its original purpose to remain useful.
2. Audit and Reduce Waste at Home
Start by tracking where you create the most waste at home. It could be food, online orders, or things you buy regularly without thinking much about the waste they create. A quick household waste audit can show you where you can reduce waste. Food is the largest single material going to U.S. landfills. Plan your meals before you shop, pay attention to how much you’re making, and try not to buy more food than you’ll use. If you can, compost food scraps instead of throwing them away. If you're ordering things online, try to put a few purchases together rather than placing several small orders. And when you have a choice, go with products that use less packaging. Switching your bills to digital and opting out of junk mail are simple ways to cut down on paper at home.
3. Clean Up Your Community and Plant for the Future
National Recycling Day is a reminder that environmental action often starts close to home. Participate in a neighborhood, beach or park cleanup, or organize one if there isn’t one in your community. A neighborhood app, shared Google Form, or community bulletin board might help bring volunteers together. Making the event a monthly habit keeps the momentum going long after November 15.
After the cleanup, consider planting a tree. Trees clean the air, provide habitat for wildlife, shade our homes and sequester carbon throughout their lives. A tree per household can help a neighborhood for decades. Perhaps your city is already planning something and you can join them!
4. Choose Products That Can Withstand Long Use
When shopping, look beyond the price tag. Consider how often you will use something, how long it will last and what it is made from. It works for everything from apparel and bags to bakeware, furniture, kitchen tools, storage containers and common home goods such as soap and cleaning products. With the rise of fast furniture, investing in a well-built piece that can last in your home for years can lessen the need for frequent replacements.
Look for consciously made products with durable materials like heavy duty cotton bags. It is also worth supporting ethical brands that prioritize responsible manufacturing and give back to their communities.
Buying fewer, better-made products can help reduce waste over time while making every purchase more intentional.
5. Recycle the Right Way
One of the biggest barriers to effective recycling is not a lack of participation but confusion about what belongs in the bin. Placing nonrecyclable items in curbside recycling, sometimes called wishful recycling, can contaminate recyclable materials and reduce the efficiency of the entire system. Keep these common guidelines in mind:
- Greasy pizza boxes should not go into paper recycling bins because food residue contaminates paper fibers.
- Plastic bags should be taken to designated collection bins at participating grocery stores rather than to curbside recycling carts.
- Most biodegradable or compostable plastics are not accepted through standard curbside recycling programs.
- Clean aluminum cans, steel containers, cardboard, glass, and many plastic containers are widely accepted, although local requirements may vary.
When in doubt, throw it out. Wishcycling can cause issues at recycling/sorting plants. Always check local municipal guidelines, as recycling capabilities vary by region.
It’s not just the households to reduce waste. Businesses can also reduce waste by looking at how they use materials in the course of their day to day operations. This could mean finding ways to cut down on paper and disposable products, reducing unnecessary packaging, reusing materials where possible, and finding ways to pass along items or food instead of throwing them away.
Closing Thoughts
National Recycling Day is more a reminder to recycle. It’s a chance to examine more closely at how we use, re-use and dispose of the things around us. The data illustrate that recycling is a part of everyday life for many Americans, yet a lot of waste still goes unrecovered. Bridging that gap will take effort from homes, businesses and communities.
The goal is not perfection but paying more attention to what we use, what we throw away, and what could have a second life. Even small changes can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and make better use of the resources already around us.
FAQs
When is National Recycling Day?
National Recycling Day, also known as America Recycles Day, is observed every year on November 15. The day encourages individuals, communities, schools, and businesses to reduce waste, recycle correctly, and adopt more sustainable habits throughout the year.
What is the U.S. Recycling rate?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the national recycling rate is 32%, with a goal of increasing it to 50% by 2030. While many Americans report that they recycle, recyclable materials still frequently end up in landfills, highlighting the importance of recycling correctly and reducing waste at the source.
What is the most impactful recycling habit to build?
One of the most effective habits is to reuse before you recycle. Choosing durable, reusable products, repairing or donating items, and reducing unnecessary purchases can prevent waste before it reaches the recycling bin. Recycling remains important, but reducing and reusing have an even greater impact.
How can fashion brands participate in National Recycling Day?
Fashion brands can support National Recycling Day by designing eco-friendly products, using responsibly sourced materials, reducing packaging waste, and educating customers about caring for and extending the life of their purchases.
What is the difference between reusing and recycling?
Reusing means using a product again instead of throwing it away, whether for its original purpose or a new one. Recycling involves collecting and processing used materials so they can be turned into new products. Both help reduce waste, but reusing generally conserves more resources because it extends a product's life without requiring additional processing.
