Significance

The recycling rate indicates the amount of materials that are properly recycled and diverted from the landfill. Proper recycling of materials helps ensure that recyclables, such as plastics, will not end up as litter, pollute our waterways, or harm wildlife.

Recycling materials into new products conserves natural resources, such as water, timber, and minerals. Making products from recycled materials also requires substantially less energy than extracting and producing products with new materials. These energy savings result in lower greenhouse gas emissions.