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From 1991 to 1995, the number of landfills has declined by 49%. That is
2,833 less landfills in the U.S. (15)

We dump most of the magazines printed in the U.S. each year (about 8
million tons) into landfills. If we recycled just half of them, we
could save over 12 million cubic yards of landfill space. (21)

More than two-thirds of the material going into landfills is
degradable. However, very little change occurs because moisture is the
most important environmental variable of degradation. Landfills are
kept as dry as possible to help prevent groundwater contamination from
runoff. For example, newspapers are still readable more than 20 years
after being thrown away. Food, such as T-bone steaks and hot dogs,
remain relatively unchanged for more than a decade. (17)

In 1993, 207 million tons of garbage was generated in the U.S. that's
4.4 pounds per person per day. After recycling and composting, 3.4
pounds of garbage per person per day was combusted or sent to
landfills. (61)

The Environmental Protection Agency projects that per capita generation
of solid waste will decrease by the year 2000 from 4.4 pounds per
person per day to 4.3 pounds. (61)

Between 1990 and 1993, materials recovered for recycling and composting
in the U.S., increased from 38 million tons to 45 million tons, an
increase of 18%. (61)

In 1985, 83% of our garbage was landfilled, in 1993, this figure
dropped to 62%. Even with this reduction, landfilling continues to be
the single most predominant waste management method reaching in to the
year 2000. (61)