Average daily waste generation per household
Residential solid waste includes garbage, recycled items, yard waste and non-recyclable bulky items. All waste that is not recycled or composted is buried in a landfill, requiring large amounts of land and producing greenhouse gases as garbage decomposes. Reducing waste saves money for families and communities, saves energy and water, reduces air and water pollution, and conserves natural resources. The amount of solid waste generated can be reduced by reducing consumption, reusing items by repairing or donating them for others, recycling, and composting food and yard waste.
Residences generated 380,882 tons of solid waste in 2012, approximately 39% of the County's total waste stream. Residential per capita waste disposal has been slowing declining, from 2.7 pounds per day in 2006 to 2.0 pounds per day in 2013. The Mecklenburg County Solid Waste Management Plan has a goal of decreasing residential waste per capita to 1.5 pounds per day by 2021.
Americans generate 21.5 million tons of food waste each year. If this waste were composted instead of being sent to landfills, the resulting reduction in greenhouse emissions would be equivalent to taking more than 2 million cars off the road. Mecklenburg County estimates that food waste accounts for 37% of residential solid waste.
Residential Recycling
Residential Solid Waste Diversion
Population Density
Tonnage of residential solid waste collected by the City of Charlotte for the fiscal year from eligible households, including garbage, recycling, yard waste and non-recyclable bulky items, divided by the total number of eligible households. The data are converted to pounds per day by multiplying by 2,000 and dividing by 365. The data include single family residential units (attached and detached), multi-family buildings with fewer than 30 units, and any additional legacy multi-family buildings serviced by the City of Charlotte. Towns in Mecklenburg County are not included because solid waste data are not collected at the neighborhood level.
Source: City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services
| Resource | Learn More and Take Action |
|---|---|
| Wipe Out Waste! | Mecklenburg County's Solid Waste programs and services to help us all Wipe Out Waste. |
| 2016 Mecklenburg County State of the Environment | Find out how we're doing in Mecklenburg County. |
| Solid Waste Management Plan | Mecklenburg County's plan to ensure proper disposal and management of solid waste and meet waste reduction goals. |
| Start Composting | See Mecklenburg County's guide to start composting at home. |
| Waste Reduction Basics | Start here to learn about what you can do to reduce waste. |
| Decomposition Time | See how long it takes for everyday materials to decompose in a landfill (PDF Download). |