In 2005, 245.7 million tons of municipal solid waste or MSW (more commonly known as trash or garbage) were generated in the United States. Organic materials—comprised of yard trimmings, food scraps, wood waste, and paper and paperboard products—are the largest component of our trash and make up more than two-thirds of the solid waste stream.

Reducing, reusing, recycling, and rebuying—the four "Rs"—is key to diverting organic materials from landfills or incinerators and protecting human health and our land, air, and water. Waste reduction and recycling prevents greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, reduces pollutants, saves energy, conserves resources, and reduces the need for new disposal facilities.

This Web site provides information on organic materials, including

• Yard Trimmings — information about collection and recovery of yard trimmings
• Food Scraps — information about environmentally sound food waste management
• Wood Waste — information about wood waste recovery, reuse, and recycling
• Reducing & Recycling — creative ways to reduce and better manage organic materials
• Voluntary Initiatives — several partnerships and projects geared toward reducing and recycling organic materials.
• Resources — additional sources of information, including publications and case studies.

Reducing & Recycling

There are several ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle organic materials. Excess food can be donated to feed hungry people. Yard trimmings, food waste, and wood waste can be made into mulch or compost and used to prevent soil erosion and provide valuable nutrients to plants. Manufacturing paper using recycled materials conserves resources for the future. By examining current landscaping, food preparation, and disposal practices, communities, businesses, and individuals can find creative ways to reduce and better manage municipal solid waste.

Yard Trimmings

Yard trimmings include grass clippings and trimmings from bushes, trees, and other yard vegetation from residential, institutional, and commercial sources. Simple ways to reduce or recycle yard trimmings include grasscycling and composting.
 

Food Scraps

Food waste are food preparation wastes and uneaten food from residences, grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias, and lunchrooms. The EPA's food waste recovery hierarchy shows how productive use can be made of much of the excess food that is currently thrown away. Edible food residuals can be donated to the needy, while inedible food residuals can be blended into compost or reprocessed into animal feed.

Wood Waste

Wood waste includes furniture and other durable goods, wood packaging (e.g., crates and pallets), and other miscellaneous products. Chipped wood can be used onsite as mulch or a composting bulk agent. Salvaged or reusable wood products (e.g., furniture, doors) can be donated to nonprofit or charitable organizations. Recovered wood also can be used to manufacture new products such as medium density fiberboard and particle board for construction purposes. Find more ideas on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle wood waste below:

• The Freecycle Network is using the Internet to revolutionize the concept of reuse. Items posted on the site are available for anyone who wishes to take them, creating an alternative to "trashing" an item and an outlet for goods that would otherwise have been thrown away.
• WasteWise Update: Donation Programs-Turning Trash into Treasure [PDF, 12 pages, 1.1 MB, About PDF] describes how organizations can reduce waste and serve the community by donating surplus items to local or national nonprofit organizations.
• Materials and waste exchanges are markets for buying and selling reusable and recyclable commodities.

Paper and Paperboard Products

Paper and paperboard products include items you use every day—newspapers, food packaging, tissues, corrugated cardboard boxes, office paper, and paper plates. Paper and paperboard products constitute the largest portion of MSW but also offers the greatest opportunity for source reduction (e.g., light weighting packaging, double-sided copying) and recycling. To learn additional ways to reduce paper use or procure recycled-content paper products, go to:

• EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines program is part of EPA's continuing effort to promote the use of materials recovered from solid waste and includes CPG designated paper and paperboard categories.