How many pounds of trash does the average American throw away each day?
USA medium Data from 2018
Guess before you scroll — the answer is below
The answer
5 pounds
Roughly 4.9.
The EPA puts municipal solid waste at about 4.9 pounds per person per day — roughly 1,800 pounds a year, close to the weight of a small car. Around a third gets recycled or composted. Food waste is the single largest category going to landfill.
Where this number comes from
| Source | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
|---|---|
| Figure refers to | 2018 |
| Last checked | |
| Unit | pounds |
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