11 Surprising Facts About the Things We Throw Away
One nation's trash could be put to much better use. We ponder what's being squandered.
By Katie Arnold-Ratliff
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
Had the estimated 32.7 billion aluminum cans tossed out in 2011 been redeemed at recycling centers, they could have netted about $820 million.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
More than four million pairs of eyeglasses are trashed annually, according to
Unite for Sight.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
22.3 billion pounds of textiles, including clothing, were thrown away in 2010.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
The roughly 38,000 miles of ribbon we toss each year is "enough to tie a bow around the Earth," points out
California's department of recycling.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
According to the
Rubber Manufacturers of America, 1.3 billion pounds of tires wound up in landfills in 2009.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
In 2010, Americans got rid of 152 million cell phones and other mobile devices, of which 135 million made their way to the trash.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
Each year more than 350 million pairs of shoes march into landfills, according to the charity
Shoes for the Cure.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
Ditto nearly 20,000 tons of used tennis balls, says reBonus, a recycling business.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
Americans manufacture about one billion CDs and DVDs annually, millions of which end up in the trash, says the
CD Recycling Center of America.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
Over ten million bikes are dumped into American and European landfills yearly, says
Bicycles for Humanity.
Illustration: Jose Luis Merino
15.8 million tons of reading material (books, magazines) and other paper products were trashed in 2010.
Next: Peter Walsh's 5 ways to declutter your home this weekend
From the
March 2013 issue of
O, The Oprah Magazine
