Environmental Footprint Calculator
How much of an impact do you make when you recycle? Enter how much material you recycle each year:
Mixed Paper
Commingled Materials
Scrap Metal
Electronics
By recycling the amount of materials above, you would help save the following each year:
PRINT: But only if you have to. You can also share your recycling savings information by e-mailing a screenshot of the calculator above!
Calculator Tips
Mixed paper
DEFINITION: Recovered paper not sorted into categories including white paper, colored paper, corrugated cardboard, boxboard, newspapers and inserts, magazines, catalogs, telephone directories, unwanted mail and other clean, dry paper.
DID YOU KNOW? Every year nearly 900,000,000 trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and pulp mills.
CONVERSION: Use these conversion factors to estimate the number of pounds of mixed paper recycled:
- For single-family residents:
The average weight of mixed paper in a full 64-gallon wheeled cart is 87 pounds. - For multi-family (apartments/condominiums) residents:
The average weight of mixed paper in a full 7-gallon baby blue bin is 10 pounds.
Commingled Materials
DEFINITION: Recovered containers not sorted into categories including aluminum cans and foil products, bi-metal cans, glass bottles and jars and plastic bottles and containers.
DID YOU KNOW? Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours.
CONVERSION: Use these conversion factors to estimate the number of pounds of commingled materials recycled:
- For single-family residents:
The average weight of commingled materials in a full 22-gallon blue bin is 36 pounds. - For multi-family (apartments/condominiums) residents:
The average weight of commingled materials in a full 7-gallon baby blue bin is 4 pounds.
Scrap Metal
DEFINITION: Acceptable items consisting of metal and/or predominantly metal materials. Items include washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.
DID YOU KNOW? Steel is America's most recycled material.
CONVERSION: To estimate the number of pounds of scrap metal recycled, use the following conversion factor:
- Appliances (average): 143 pounds
See Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors from the U.S. EPA
Electronics
DEFINITION: circuits or devices using transistors, microchips, and other components including laptops, printers, monitors, televisions, cell phones, camcorders, etc.
DID YOU KNOW? All of the E-waste recycled in the US every year amounts to more than 100 million pounds of materials, including plastics, metals, glass, and other materials.
CONVERSION: To estimate the number of pounds of electronics recycled, use the Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors from the U.S. EPA for the average weights for specific types of electronic items.