Understanding Waste Diversion
The average American generates about 4.9 lbs of waste per day, with a national diversion rate of about 32%. Diversion includes recycling (curbside and drop-off), composting, donation, and reuse. San Francisco leads with 80% diversion. Each ton diverted from landfill prevents about 2,000 lbs of CO₂ equivalent greenhouse gas emissions from methane generation and embodied energy savings.