The US's municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling system currently faces a number of challenges, including confusion about what materials can be recycled, recycling infrastructure that has not kept pace with today’s diverse and changing waste stream, reduced markets for recycled materials, and varying methodologies to measure recycling system performance.
This substantially revised version of the National Recycling Strategy focuses on improving the nation’s MSW recycling system and broadens the vision to include the full impact of materials, while also recognizing the need to achieve environmental justice priorities. It reflects the work of many stakeholders, including the public, companies, and non-governmental and community-based organizations, as well as input from other federal agencies, states, tribes and local governments.
Recycling efforts in the United States comprise more than just the processing of MSW at materials recovery facilities and include many other materials, such as electronics, textiles and food waste. Future strategies will address these and other aspects of a circular economy for all.