Recycling in Utah

How much energy does recycling save?

The process of recycling turns waste materials into new products, helping to reduce pollution, create jobs, conserve resources, and save energy.  In fact, recycling one ton of paper saves approximately 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, 17 mature trees, 4100 kilowatt hours of energy, and 60 pounds of pollutants. ^{1 2}

Utah’s Recycling Data Initiative collects statewide data on waste produced by households, institutions, and businesses (called municipal solid waste) and where that waste ends up (e.g. at a recycling facility, composter, or landfill). Our 2023 data indicates that while most waste sent to recycling facilities is recycled, Utahns are not sending their recyclable material to these facilities.

The data 

The 2023 data collected found that while the vast majority of material sent to recycling facilities was recycled, only a small percentage of waste generated in Utah was sent by consumers to a recycling facility. This means that when Utahns recycle it is effective, but there is a lot of opportunity to increase recycling participation and access.

In 2023:

• Only 5% of waste produced in Utah was sent to recycling, composting, and anaerobic digestion/co-digestion facilities – 1% was lost at recycling facilities, and 94% was sent to a landfill. 
• 197,499 tons of material was recycled or composted, equal  to approximately 230 recycling jobs in Utah.³
• 93% of materials sent to recycling facilities were recycled. 

What it means

We, the consumers, are not getting our materials to recycling facilities. The majority of Utah waste ends up in garbage bins instead of recycling bins. If the material reaches a recycling facility, the majority of the material is able to be recycled. This means that we generally put the correct materials in our recycling bin, and when it gets to the recycling facility it is properly recycled, but we’re not sending nearly as much of our waste for recycling as compared to the rest of the nation, which has a recycling rate of 32%.⁴

What’s next

Based on this data, there is a need to increase how much material Utahns are sending to recycling and composting facilities. Cities and towns can take action by assessing the availability and use of recycling bins  in their area, and any other barriers to recycling that exist.  

There is a need to increase confidence in recycling – remember that our recyclable materials are headed off to a new life, not the landfill!

---

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why should I recycle?

Recycling reduces pollution, creates jobs, conserves natural resources, and saves energy. It reduces our impact as consumers by giving materials a new life, preventing the need to source new materials through processes that use land, fossil fuels, water, and use natural resources like trees. By recycling, we are helping protect our beautiful state and ensure its vitality for future Utahns. 

Why is Utah collecting recycling data?

This data helps us understand how well Utah recycles, where there are opportunities for improvement. It also gives us the ability to track our progress over time.

Do the products we put in the recycling bin actually get recycled?

Through our data initiative, we found that 93% of material received by a recycling facility in Utah is recycled. Our recycling facilities are expert recyclers. To ensure that the materials you put in the recycling bin make it through the process, prevent contamination by familiarizing yourself with what can be recycled in your area, starting with the Super6 items that can be recycled almost anywhere. 

Why don’t some things get recycled?

The biggest reason for material not getting recycled is at the consumer step – that they don’t make it into the recycling bin, and the majority of recyclables end up in the landfill. 

What can I do to improve Utah’s recycling rate?

Share this data and our recycle.utah.gov recycling map with others. Help get the message out that Utah needs to increase availability and use of recycling resources. When we put recyclable material in a recycling bin, it gets recycled, but it won’t be recycled if we don’t (or can’t) take this first step.

How is Utah’s recycling rate being calculated?

Utah’s recycling rate is the percent of the total municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in Utah that is recycled, composted, or managed by anaerobic digestion/codigestion (AD/C) in a calendar year. The Division gathers this data through annual reports submitted by landfills, composting facilities, and recycling facilities.

Utah’s Annual Recycling Rate = (MSW Recycled + MSW Composted + MSW Managed by AD/C Total MSW Generated) * 100

Is Utah’s method to calculate recycling rates comparable to the method used on the national level?

Yes! We carefully developed our recycling rate and data collection methods so Utah’s data can be readily combined with national data to track and improve recycling on the national level.

---

Footnotes

1. Utah State University. Recycling Facts and Figures ↩︎
2. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report. ↩︎
3. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report. ↩︎
4. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling ↩︎