Municipal solid waste consists of things we commonly use and then throw away; such as paper and packaging, food scraps, yard waste and large household items, including old sofas, appliances, and computers. It does not include industrial, hazardous, or construction waste. The distribution of the municipal solid waste generated in 2008 is illustrated below:
| Waste Product |
Weight (millions of tons) |
Percent of Total |
| Paper and paperboard |
77.4 |
31.0 |
| Yard wastes |
32.9 |
13.2 |
| Food scraps |
31.8 |
12.7 |
| Plastics |
30.0 |
12.0 |
| Metals |
20.9 |
8.4 |
| Rubber, leather, and textiles |
19.8 |
7.9 |
| Wood |
16.4 |
6.6 |
| Glass |
12.2 |
4.9 |
| Other wastes |
8.0 |
3.3 |
