ZWA's 1998 U.S. "Municipal" Waste Management Report
Data source: BIOCYCLE / Tables: ZWA
Back to: 1998 State of the Nation's Waste press release
Individual State Waste Management Performance is ranked by the following formula:
Waste Disposed (or Generated - Recycled) + Imports + Exports ÷ Population = Performance
ZERO WASTE AMERICA's ... TOP TEN!
| Rank | Best Management tons/person/yr | Worst Management tons/person/yr | Generates Most (tons/yr) | Recycles Most (% of generation) | Imports Most (tons/yr) | Exports Most (tons/yr) |
| 1. | South Dakota 0.400 | Nevada 2.132 | California 45,000,000 | Washington 48% | Pennsylvania 6,300,000 | New York 4,000,000 |
| 2. | Wisconsin 0.580 | Kansas 1.879 | New York 28,800,000 | New Jersey 45% | Indiana 2,674,000 | New Jersey 2,300,000 |
| 3. | North Dakota 0.628 | South Caroline 1.588 | Florida 23,617,000 | Minn/S.Dakota 42% | Michigan 1,838,000 | Missouri 1,756,000 |
| 4. | Colorado 0.649 | Delaware 1.491 | Texas 21,738,000 | Maine 41% | Illinois 1,300,000 | Maryland 1,200,000 |
| 5. | Oklahoma 0.663 | Utah 1.484 | Georgia 14,645,000 | Florida/Tenn. 40% | Oregon 1,067,000 | Washington 989,000 |
| 6. | Minnesota 0.679 | New Hampshire 1.471 | Michigan 13,500,000 | New York 39% | Kansas 1,000,000 | Ohio 600,000 |
| 7. | Idaho 0.732 | Indiana 1.432 | Illinois 13,386,000 | Arkansas 36% | Mississppi 800,000 | Massachusetts 549,000 |
| 8. | Missouri 0.761 | Hawaii 1.342 | Ohio 12,339,000 | Virginia 35% | New Hampshire 700,000 | Minnesota 412,000 |
| 9. | Lousiana 0.769 | Georgia 1.333 | North Carolina 9,843,000 | South Carolina 34% | Ohio 668,000 | California 408,000 |
| 10. | Maine 0.784 | Missouri 1.316 | Tennessee 9,496,000 | Georgia/Missouri/ Massachusetts 33% | Wisconsin 656,000 | North Carolina 330,000 |
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U.S.Municipal Waste Management Performance Per Capita:
Note: Does not include foreign waste imports
| Year | U.S. Population | Municipal Waste Generated | Percentage Recycled | Municipal Waste Disposed | Tons Disposed Per Capita |
| 1990 | 246,819,230 | 269,000,000 | 8 | 247,480,000 | 1.002 |
| 1991 | 249,439,545 | 293,613,000 | 11.5 | 259,847,000 | 1.041 |
| 1992 | 252,124,362 | 280,675,000 | 14 | 241,380,000 | 0.957 |
| 1993 | 255,001,827 | 291,742,000 | 17 | 242,146,000 | 0.949 |
| 1994 | 257,752,702 | 306,866,000 | 19 | 248,561,000 | 0.964 |
| 1995 | 260,292,437 | 322,879,000 | 23 | 248,617,000 | 0.955 |
| 1996 | 262,760,639 | 326,709,000 | 27 | 238,498,000 | 0.907 |
| 1997 | 265,179,411 | 327,460,000 | 28 | 235,771,000 | 0.890 |
| 1998 | 267,636,061 | 340,466,000 | 30 | 238,326,000 | 0.890 |
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WASTE DATA FOR ALL 50 STATES AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
| State: | Generation tons/year | -% Re- cycled | =Pre- Disposal | (tons/ person) | Pre- Rank | + Imports(d) | =Pre-export Disposal | +Exports(d) (subtract for total disposal) | ÷ Population* | =tons/ person | Final Rank |
| Alabama | 5,549,000 | -23% | = 4, 272,730 | (0.989) | 37 | + 205,000 | = 4,477,730 | +n/a) | ÷4,319,000 | =1.0367 | 27 |
| Alaska | 560,000 | -7% | = 520,800 | (0.853) | 26 | +0 | =520,800 | + 13,000 | ÷ 609,000 | =0.876 | 13 |
| Arizona | 5,700,000 | -18% | = 4,674,000 | (1.026) | 38 | +n/a | =4,674,000 | +n/a | ÷ 4,555,000 | =1.026 | 26 |
| Arkansas | 4,287,000 | -36% | =2,743,680 | (1.087) | 44 | +n/a | =2,743,680 | +84,000 | ÷ 2,523,000 | =1.120 | 33 |
| California | 45,000,000 | -30% | =31,500,000 | (0.976) | 34 | +21,000 | =31,521,000 | +408,000 | ÷ 32,268,000 | =0.989 | 22 |
| Colorado | 3,084,000 | -18% | =2,528,880 | (0.649) | 11 | +n/a | =2,528,880 | +n/a | ÷ 3,893,000 | =0.649 | 4 |
| Connecticut | 2,950,000 | -23% | =2,271,500 | (0.694) | 13 | +465,558c | =2,737,058 | +38,808c | ÷ 3,270,000 | =0.848 | 11 |
| Delaware | 1,189,000 | -31% | =820,410 | (1.120) | 43 | +n/a | =820,410 | +271,109c | ÷ 732,000 | =1.491 | 48 |
| Dist. of Columbia | 246,000 | -8% | =226,320 | (.0427) | 3 | +0 | =226,320 | +235,000 | ÷ 529,000 | =0.872 | 12 |
| Florida | 23,617,000 | -40% | =14,170,200 | (0.966) | 32 | +n/a | =14,170,200 | +n/a | ÷ 14,654,000 | =0.966 | 19 |
| Georgia | 14,645,000 | -33% | =9,812,150 | (1.310) | 46 | +172,000 | =9,984,150 | +n/a | ÷ 7,486,000 | =1.333 | 43 |
| Hawaii | 2,125,000 | -25% | =1,593,750 | (1.342) | 47 | +n/a | =1,593,750 | +n/a | ÷ 1,187,000 | =1.342 | 44 |
| Idaho (2) | 886,000 | -n/a% | =886,000 | (0.732) | 16 | +12,000c | =898,000 | +27,700c | ÷ 1,210,000 | =0.765 | 7 |
| Illinois | 13,386,000 | -28% | =9,637,920 | (0.810) | 23 | +1,300,000 | =10,937,920 | +1,022,353 | ÷ 11,896,000 | =1.005 | 25 |
| Indiana | 7,171,000 | -23% | =5,521,670 | (0.941) | 31 | +2,674,000 | =8,195,670 | +204,173 | ÷ 5,864,000 | =1.432 | 45 |
| Iowa | 3,462,000 | -32% | =2,354,160 | (0.825) | 24 | +306,000 | =2,660,160 | +182,000 | ÷ 2,852,000 | =0.996 | 23 |
| Kansas (1) | 4,250,000 | -11% | =3,782,500 | (1.457) | 48 | +1,000,000 | =4,782,500 | +94,000c | ÷ 2,595,000 | =1.879 | 50 |
| Kentucky | 4,418,000 | -28% | =3,180,960 | (0.813) | 23 | +458,000 | =3,638,960 | +200,000c | ÷ 3,908,000 | =0.982 | 20 |
| Louisiana | 3,894,000 | -14% | =3,348,840 | (0.769) | 20 | +28,584c | =3,377,424 | +n/a | ÷ 4,352,000 | =0.776 | 8 |
| Maine(1) | 1,339,000 | -41% | =790,010 | (0.636) | 10 | +142,640c | =932,650 | +41,700c | ÷ 1,242,000 | =0.784 | 9 |
| Maryland | 5,329,000 | -29% | =3,783,590 | (0.742) | 17 | +50,000 | =3,833,590 | +1,200,000 | ÷ 5,094,000 | =0.988 | 21 |
| Massachusetts | 7,160,000 | -33% | =4,797,200 | (0.784) | 21 | +516,000 | =5,313,200 | +549,000 | ÷ 6,118,000 | =0.958 | 18 |
| Michigan | 13,500,000 | -25% | =10,125,000 | (1.035) | 39 | +1,838,000 | =11,963,000 | +100,000c | ÷ 9,774,000 | =1.234 | 41 |
| Minnesota | 4,780,000 | -42% | =2,772,400 | (0.591) | 7 | +0 | =2,772,400 | +412,000 | ÷ 4,686,000 | =0.679 | 6 |
| Mississippi | 2,360,000 | -13% | =2,053,200 | (0.751) | 18 | +800,000 | =2,853,200 | +n/a | ÷ 2,731,000 | =1.044 | 28 |
| Missouri | 7,896,000 | -33% | =5,290,320 | (0.979) | 35 | +65,000 | =5,355,320 | +1,756,000 | ÷ 5,402,000 | =1.316 | 42 |
| Montana | 1,039,000 | -5% | =987,050 | (1.122) | 45 | +43,000 | =1,030,050 | +0 | ÷ 879,000 | =1.171 | 38 |
| Nebraska(1) | 2,000,000 | -27% | =1,460,000 | (0.881) | 29 | +78,000c | =1,538,000 | +n/a | ÷ 1,657,000 | =0.928 | 16 |
| Nevada | 3,955,000 | -15% | =3,361,750 | (2.000) | 51 | +215,000 | =3,576,750 | +n/a | ÷ 1,677,000 | =2.132 | 51 |
| New Hampshire | 1,200,000 | -25% | =900,000 | (0.767) | 19 | +700,000 | =1,600,000 | +126,000 | ÷ 1,173,000 | =1.471 | 46 |
| New Jersey | 8,200,000 | -45% | =4,510,000 | (0.560) | 5 | +500,000 | =5,010,000 | +2,300,000 | ÷ 8,053,000 | =0.907 | 15 |
| New Mexico | 1,400,000 | -12% | =1,232,000 | (0.712) | 14 | +305,000 | =1,537,000 | +0 | ÷ 1,730,000 | =0.888 | 14 |
| New York | 28,800,000 | -39% | =17,568,000 | (0.968) | 33 | +122,862c | =17,690,862 | +4,000,000 | ÷ 18,137,000 | =1.195 | 40 |
| North Carolina | 9,843,000 | -26% | =7,283,820 | (0.980) | 36 | +150,000 | =7,433,820 | +330,000 | ÷ 7,425,000 | =1.045 | 29 |
| North Dakota | 510,000 | -21% | =402,900 | (0.628) | 9 | +n/a | =402,900 | +n/a | ÷ 641,000 | =0.628 | 3 |
| Ohio | 12,339,000 | -19% | =9,994,590 | (0.893) | 30 | +668,000 | =10,662,590 | +600,000 | ÷ 11,186,000 | =1.006 | 25 |
| Oklahoma | 2,500,000 | -12% | =2,200,000 | (0.663) | 12 | +n/a | =2,200,000 | +n/a | ÷ 3,317,000 | =0.663 | 5 |
| Oregon | 3,836,000 | -28% | =2,761,920 | (0.851) | 25 | +1,067,000 | =3,828,920 | +17,000 | ÷ 3,243,000 | =1.185 | 39 |
| Pennsylvania | 9,440,000 | -26% | =6,985,600 | (0.581) | 6 | +6,300,000 | =13,285,600 | +300,000 | ÷ 12,020,000 | =1.130 | 34 |
| Rhode Island | 477,000 | -23% | =367,290 | (0.372) | 1 | +n/a | =367,290 | +550,000c | ÷ 987,000 | =0.929 | 17 |
| South Carolina | 8,361,000 | -34% | =5,518,260 | (1.467) | 49 | +454,000 | =5,972,260 | +0 | ÷ 3,760,000 | =1.588 | 49 |
| South Dakota | 510,000 | -42% | =295,800 | (0.400) | 2 | +n/a | =295,800 | +n/a | ÷ 738,000 | =0.400 | 1 |
| Tennessee | 9,496,000 | -40% | =5,697,600 | (1.061) | 41 | +168,000 | =5,865,600 | +76,000 | ÷ 5,368,000 | =1.106 | 31 |
| Texas | 21,738,000 | -n/a% | =21,738,000 | (1.118) | 42 | +103,000 | =21,841,000 | +250,000 | ÷ 19,439,000 | =1.136 | 36 |
| Utah | 3,760,000 | -19% | =3,045,600 | (1.479) | 50 | +10,000 | =3,055,600 | +0 | ÷ 2,059,000 | =1.484 | 47 |
| Vermont | 600,000 | -30% | =420,000 | (0.713) | 15 | +35,000c | =455,000 | +200,000 | ÷ 589,000 | =1.112 | 32 |
| Virginia | 9,000,000 | -35% | =5,850,000 | (0.868) | 27 | +1,700,000c | =7,550,000 | +100,000 | ÷ 6,734,000 | =1.136 | 35 |
| Washington | 6,527,000 | -48% | =3,394,040 | (0.604) | 8 | +275,000 | =3,669,040 | +989,000 | ÷ 5,610,000 | =0.830 | 10 |
| West Virginia | 2,000,000 | -20% | =1,600,000 | (0.881) | 28 | +300,000 | =1,900,000 | +200,000 | ÷ 1,816,000 | =1.156 | 37 |
| Wisconsin (1) | 3,622,000 | -36% | =2,318,080 | (0.448) | 4 | +656,000 | =2,974,080 | +26,196c | ÷ 5,170,000 | =0.580 | 2 |
| Wyoming | 530,000 | -5% | =503,500 | (1.048) | 40 | +n/a | =503,500 | +n/a | ÷ 480,000 | =1.048 | 30 |
(1)-Based on 1995 data, (2)-Based on 1990 data, (c)-Congressional Research Serivce latest data (1995), (i) Incomplete information on Imports/Exports reported by 16 states reporting, * U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for 1997.
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WASTE MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE RANKINGS:
| STATES: | PRE- IMPORT/ EXPORT | PRE- LIMINARY RANK | POST IMPORT/ EXPORT | FINAL RANK |
| South Dakota | (0.400) | 2 | =0.400 | 1 |
| Wisconsin (1) | (0.448) | 4 | =0.580 | 2 |
| North Dakota | (0.628) | 9 | =0.628 | 3 |
| Colorado | (0.649) | 11 | =0.649 | 4 |
| Oklahoma | (0.663) | 12 | =0.663 | 5 |
| Minnesota | (0.591) | 7 | =0.679 | 6 |
| Idaho (2) | (0.732) | 16 | =0.765 | 7 |
| Louisiana | (0.769) | 20 | =0.776 | 8 |
| Maine(1) | (0.636) | 10 | =0.784 | 9 |
| Washington | (0.604) | 8 | =0.830 | 10 |
| Connecticut | (0.694) | 13 | =0.848 | 11 |
| Dist. of Columbia | (.0427) | 3 | =0.872 | 12 |
| Alaska | (0.853) | 26 | =0.876 | 13 |
| New Mexico | (0.712) | 14 | =0.888 | 14 |
| New Jersey | (0.560) | 5 | =0.907 | 15 |
| Nebraska(1) | (0.881) | 29 | =0.928 | 16 |
| Rhode Island | (0.372) | 1 | =0.929 | 17 |
| Massachusetts | (0.784) | 21 | =0.958 | 18 |
| Florida | (0.966) | 32 | =0.966 | 19 |
| Kentucky | (0.813) | 23 | =0.982 | 20 |
| Maryland | (0.742) | 17 | =0.988 | 21 |
| California | (0.976) | 34 | =0.989 | 22 |
| Iowa | (0.825) | 24 | =0.996 | 23 |
| Illinois | (0.810) | 22 | =1.005 | 24 |
| Ohio | (0.893) | 30 | =1.006 | 25 |
| Arizona | (1.026) | 38 | =1.026 | 26 |
| Alabama | (0.989) | 37 | =1.036 | 27 |
| Mississippi | (0.751) | 18 | =1.044 | 28 |
| North Carolina | (0.980) | 36 | =1.045 | 29 |
| Wyoming | (1.048) | 40 | =1.048 | 30 |
| Tennessee | (1.061) | 41 | =1.106 | 31 |
| Vermont | (0.713) | 15 | =1.112 | 32 |
| Arkansas | (1.087) | 44 | =1.120 | 33 |
| Pennsylvania | (0.581) | 6 | =1.130 | 34 |
| Virginia | (0.868) | 27 | =1.1360 | 35 |
| Texas | (1.118) | 42 | =1.1364 | 36 |
| West Virginia | (0.881) | 28 | =1.156 | 37 |
| Montana | (1.122) | 45 | =1.171 | 38 |
| Oregon | (0.851) | 25 | =1.185 | 39 |
| New York | (0.968) | 33 | =1.195 | 40 |
| Michigan | (1.035) | 39 | =1.234 | 41 |
| Missouri | (0.979) | 35 | =1.316 | 42 |
| Georgia | (1.310) | 46 | =1.333 | 43 |
| Hawaii | (1.342) | 47 | =1.342 | 44 |
| Indiana | (0.941) | 31 | =1.432 | 45 |
| New Hampshire | (0.767) | 19 | =1.471 | 46 |
| Utah | (1.479) | 50 | =1.484 | 47 |
| Delaware | (1.120) | 43 | =1.491 | 48 |
| South Carolina | (1.467) | 49 | =1.588 | 49 |
| Kansas (1) | (1.457) | 48 | =1.879 | 50 |
| Nevada | (2.000) | 51 | =2.132 | 51 |
Back to: 1998 State of the Nation's Waste press release