These furniture recycling figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.
Key Furniture Recycling Statistics
The main findings are:
- U.S. furniture and furnishings generation was 2,150 thousand tons in 1960 (United States municipal solid waste).
- U.S. furniture and furnishings generation was 12.08 million tons in 2018, equal to 4.1% of total MSW generation (United States municipal solid waste).
- UK kerbside and household-waste-recycling-centre bulky waste totaled about 1,590,000 tonnes in 2010/11 (United Kingdom).
- Approximately 400 third-sector furniture and appliance reuse organizations had been established across the UK since the 1970s (study period; United Kingdom).
- Around 5% of discarded Swiss furniture went back into reuse (2017 reference-year context; Switzerland).
- NYC WasteMatch diverted an average of 623 tons of office furniture, containers, packaging and electronics from terminal disposal per year (2010-01-01 to 2013-06-30 operational data; New York City).
- U.S. furniture and furnishings generation was 2,830 thousand tons in 1970 (United States municipal solid waste).
- Only 40 thousand U.S. tons of furniture and furnishings were recorded as recycled in 2018 (United States municipal solid waste).
- About 1,050,000 tonnes of UK bulky waste went to HWRCs in 2010/11 (United Kingdom).
- Reuse organizations collecting bulky waste on behalf of local authorities achieved a 40% reuse rate (study period; England and Wales/UK reuse sector).
- A Swiss reuse scenario used a 63% diffusion factor for increased furniture reuse (2035/2050 scenario modeling; Switzerland).
- NYC WasteMatch had 1,823 donor listings during the study period (2010-01-01 to 2013-06-30; New York City).
- U.S. furniture and furnishings generation was 4,760 thousand tons in 1980 (United States municipal solid waste).
- Furniture and furnishings recycled were 40 thousand U.S. tons in 2017 (United States municipal solid waste).
- About 540,000 tonnes of UK bulky waste were collected at kerbside in 2010/11 (United Kingdom).
Contents
- Key Furniture Recycling Statistics
- Furniture recycling statistics: U.S. waste generation and long-term trends
- Furniture recycling rates, landfill disposal and energy recovery
- UK bulky-furniture waste, reuse potential and collection pathways
- Furniture reuse and recycling organizations: measured diversion outcomes
- Swiss post-consumer furniture disposal and circular-use scenarios
- Furniture recycling and reuse evidence from material-exchange and collection studies
Furniture recycling statistics: U.S. waste generation and long-term trends
The reported u.S. furniture and furnishings generation figures cover United States municipal solid waste.
| Measurement period | U.S. furniture and furnishings generation (thousand U.S. tons) |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 2,150 thousand |
| 1970 | 2,830 thousand |
| 1980 | 4,760 thousand |
| 1990 | 6,790 thousand |
| 2000 | 8,120 thousand |
| 2005 | 9,340 thousand |
| 2010 | 10,820 thousand |
| 2015 | 12,050 thousand |
Source: Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data.
EPA end-of-life estimate; includes furniture and furnishings after primary use and secondary-owner reuse.
EPA product-flow estimate.
Furniture recycling rates, landfill disposal and energy recovery
The reported furniture and furnishings recycled figures cover United States municipal solid waste.
| Measurement period | Furniture and furnishings recycled (thousand U.S. tons) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 40 thousand |
| 2015 | 10 thousand |
| 2010 | 10 thousand |
Source: Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data.
- U.S. furniture and furnishings generation was 12.08 million tons in 2018, equal to 4.1% of total MSW generation (United States municipal solid waste). (Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data)
- Only 40 thousand U.S. tons of furniture and furnishings were recorded as recycled in 2018 (United States municipal solid waste). (Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data)
- Furniture and furnishings sent to landfill were 9,680 thousand U.S. tons in 2018 (United States municipal solid waste). (Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data)
- Furniture and furnishings combusted with energy recovery were 2,360 thousand U.S. tons in 2018 (United States municipal solid waste). (Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data)
- Furniture and furnishings sent to landfill represented 80.1% of the sector in 2018 (United States municipal solid waste). (Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data)
- Furniture and furnishings combusted for energy recovery represented 19.5% in 2018 (United States municipal solid waste). (Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data)
EPA estimates generation at end of life.
EPA states measurable recovery data for wood, textiles and metals were unavailable except for mattresses; this is not a complete material-recovery census.
EPA product-flow estimate.
EPA product-flow estimate; landfill pathway is separate from reuse and recycling.
Energy recovery is not material recycling.
EPA pathway estimate.
Energy recovery is not recycling.
UK bulky-furniture waste, reuse potential and collection pathways
- UK kerbside and household-waste-recycling-centre bulky waste totaled about 1,590,000 tonnes in 2010/11 (United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- About 1,050,000 tonnes of UK bulky waste went to HWRCs in 2010/11 (United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- About 540,000 tonnes of UK bulky waste were collected at kerbside in 2010/11 (United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- Furniture made up around 42% of UK bulky waste (2010/11; United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- The 42% furniture share equated to about 670,000 tonnes annually (2010/11 annualized; United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- Furniture was assessed as reusable in current condition for more than 20% of kerbside-collected furniture (2010/11 study; United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- A further 25% of kerbside-collected furniture was assessed as reusable with slight repair (2010/11 study; United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- Just under 50% of furniture at HWRCs was assessed as reusable in current condition or with slight repair (2010/11 study; United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
- About 110,000 tonnes of furniture at UK HWRCs was estimated reusable in current condition (2010/11 annualized; United Kingdom). (Study into the re-use potential…)
WRAP national estimate from WasteDataFlow; covers bulky waste collected at kerbside or taken to HWRCs.
WRAP estimate.
WRAP sample findings extrapolated to national kerbside and HWRC collections.
Extrapolated national estimate.
Assessment of sampled bulky items, not a national recycling rate.
Assessment of sampled bulky items.
Assessment of sampled HWRC furniture.
WRAP extrapolation from sampled HWRC material.
Furniture reuse and recycling organizations: measured diversion outcomes
- Approximately 400 third-sector furniture and appliance reuse organizations had been established across the UK since the 1970s (study period; United Kingdom). (The role of furniture and…)
- Reuse organizations collecting bulky waste on behalf of local authorities achieved a 40% reuse rate (study period; England and Wales/UK reuse sector). (The role of furniture and…)
- Local-authority waste collection departments averaged 2% to 3% reuse in the comparison reported by the study (study period; England and Wales/UK). (The role of furniture and…)
- Bulky items collected by the organizations were less than 5% of total household waste (study period; United Kingdom). (The role of furniture and…)
- About 40% reuse was achieved when third-sector organizations operated local-authority bulky-waste collection services, versus 2%–3% for average waste departments (study period; United Kingdom). (The role of furniture and…)
Study estimate of organizations with a primary collection and redistribution function.
Reported organizational case evidence; not a national rate.
Comparison average reported by the peer-reviewed study.
Study context concerns bulky waste, not furniture alone.
Direct comparison of reported rates; populations and operating models differ.
Swiss post-consumer furniture disposal and circular-use scenarios
- Around 5% of discarded Swiss furniture went back into reuse (2017 reference-year context; Switzerland). (Turning trash into treasure: An…)
- A Swiss reuse scenario used a 63% diffusion factor for increased furniture reuse (2035/2050 scenario modeling; Switzerland). (Turning trash into treasure: An…)
- The Swiss increased-reuse scenario modeled a 32% reduction in climate impact relative to business as usual (2035/2050 scenario; Switzerland). (Turning trash into treasure: An…)
- The Swiss refurbish scenario modeled an 83% reduction in climate impact relative to business as usual (2035/2050 scenario; Switzerland). (Turning trash into treasure: An…)
- The Swiss refurbish scenario assumed 83% of consumers would return furniture with a financial incentive (2035/2050 scenario; Switzerland). (Turning trash into treasure: An…)
- The Swiss refurbish scenario assumed 59% of disposed furniture could be overhauled and resold (2035/2050 scenario; Switzerland). (Turning trash into treasure: An…)
Study reports this as successful return to reuse; most remainder was disposed of.
Scenario assumption based on a cited consumer survey, not observed national behavior.
Scenario model result, not measured outcome.
Scenario model result; assumes furniture return, refurbishment and resale.
Diffusion assumption from cited research, not observed in the modeled future.
Scenario assumption from cited source.
Furniture recycling and reuse evidence from material-exchange and collection studies
- NYC WasteMatch diverted an average of 623 tons of office furniture, containers, packaging and electronics from terminal disposal per year (2010-01-01 to 2013-06-30 operational data; New York City). (NYC WasteMatch – An online…)
- NYC WasteMatch had 1,823 donor listings during the study period (2010-01-01 to 2013-06-30; New York City). (NYC WasteMatch – An online…)
- The mean travel distance for 466 completed NYC WasteMatch exchanges was 17.7 km (2010-01-01 to 2013-06-30; New York City). (NYC WasteMatch – An online…)
- NYC WasteMatch exchange distances ranged from 0 to 80 km (2010-01-01 to 2013-06-30; New York City). (NYC WasteMatch – An online…)
- Nearly 70% of completed NYC WasteMatch exchanges occurred within 50 km (2010-01-01 to 2013-06-30; New York City). (NYC WasteMatch – An online…)
- A Bavaria collection-point study examined 1,132 pieces of used furniture (study data collection; Bavaria, Germany). (Potentials of preparation for reuse:…)
- The Bavaria study sampled 61 waste collection points (study data collection; Bavaria, Germany). (Potentials of preparation for reuse:…)
- Between 13% and 16% of examined waste streams could immediately be prepared for reuse, depending on waste type (study data collection; Bavaria, Germany). (Potentials of preparation for reuse:…)
- A further 13% to 29% reuse potential could be unlocked through changes to collection mode, depending on waste type (study data collection; Bavaria, Germany). (Potentials of preparation for reuse:…)
Mixed material stream; furniture is not reported separately.
Program listings, not all city furniture discards.
Subset represented 42% of diverted weight; exchange travel, not recycling transport overall.
Range for 466 completed exchanges.
Study reports exchange count and weight context; not a citywide reuse rate.
Sample from 61 waste collection points; not a national estimate.
Study sample, not all German collection points.
Range covers WEEE, furniture and leisure goods; furniture-specific rate is not isolated in the abstract.
Modeled potential across sampled waste types, not measured realized reuse.