Facts About Plastic Packaging
- It is estimated that 30 million tons of containers and packaging were recycled in 2005.
- The U.S. EPA estimates about 31 percent of all municipal solid waste in 2005 was generated from packaging-related material. This constitutes cardboard boxes, plastics and foam. This breaks down to about 39 million tons of paper/paperboard, 13.7 million tons of plastics and 10.9 million tons of glass.
- The average growth rate of container and packaging waste through 2010 is estimated to be about 1.8 percent annually.
- About 3 percent of all U.S. energy consumption comes from the production of packaging materials. Using recycled material for the production of packaging goods takes less energy than creating the product from the materials natural state.
- Packaging and containers makes up about 56 percent of all plastic waste. About 75 percent of all of the waste comes from residential households.
Bibliography: Facts About Plastic Packaging
- "Taking Packaging for Granted--Can You Afford To?" California Integrated Waste Management Board http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Packaging/Events/SDPWorkshop/Facts.htm .
- "Waste Reduction & Recycling: About Waste Reduction" Clean Air Council http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/aboutWaste.html.
- Office of Facilities Management " Recycling at the University of Pittsburgh" University of Pittsburgh http://www.facmgmt.pitt.edu/recycle.htm.
- Kenneth Marsh, Ph.D., Betty Bugusu, Ph.D.. (11/10/2009). "Food Packaging—Roles, Materials, and Environmental Issues" Institute of Food Technologies http://members.ift.org/NR/rdonlyres/C3FC4F7C-BE99-4124-BA67-A5C3A77D1B05/0/FoodPkgEnviron.pdf. Vol. 72, Nr. 3, 2007.
