What percentage of plastic waste is actually recycled globally and in the U.S. as of 2025?
Executive summary
New analyses and reporting in 2024–2025 show global plastics recycling remains stubbornly low: studies put the global recycling rate at about 9% (under 10%) and recycled content in new plastic at roughly 9–9.5% for 2022, with most outlets citing that “stagnant” under-10% figure [1] [2] [3]. For the United States, multiple assessments place actual recycling of plastic waste much lower — commonly reported around 5–6% in recent years — though different methods and scopes (e.g., whether textiles are counted) produce slightly different estimates [3] [1] [4] [5].
1. Global headline: recycling stuck below 10%
A major trade‑linked material flow study and several news summaries conclude that global plastic recycling is effectively “stagnant” at under 10% — often reported as about 9% or 9.5% — meaning only a single‑digit share of newly produced plastic is sourced from recycled feedstocks and only a small share of waste is returned to new products [1] [2] [3]. The Nature/Communications Earth & Environment analysis driving much of this coverage examined 2022 flows and found most plastic disposition remains landfill or incineration while recycling rates remain consistently low [6] [1].
2. What “recycled” actually measures — two related but different numbers
Reporting mixes two related metrics that can confuse comparisons: the percent of plastic waste that is collected and reprocessed into secondary material, and the share of new plastic production that uses recycled content. The cited global work notes recycled content in new plastic was about 9–9.5% for 2022 — a measure of circularity in supply — while other datasets historically report ~12–13% recycling rates when different waste streams and definitions are used [1] [7]. Available sources do not mention a single standardized 2025 global rate beyond the under‑10% finding [7] [1].
3. United States: multiple recent estimates cluster near 5–6%
Several organizations and reports put the U.S. plastics recycling rate far below many peer nations. Coverage of the same global study flagged the U.S. as having “one of the lowest recycling rates” at roughly 5% reused [1]. Greenpeace and other U.S.-focused analyses estimate post‑consumer plastic recycling at about 5–6% in 2021 and see continuing decline or weak recovery into the mid‑2020s [5]. Independent reporting citing Department of Energy research and NGO analyses also cites a U.S. recycling rate near 5% [4]. Some industry or conference figures that include broader material definitions (textiles, certain streams) produce estimates nearer to 6% [8].
4. Why the numbers vary — definitions, scope and methods
Differences stem from data choices: which waste streams are included (municipal solid waste only vs. all post‑consumer plastics), whether exported waste or informal recovery is counted, and whether the statistic reports percent of waste recycled or percent of new production made from recycled feedstock [7] [1] [5]. The Our World in Data view shows a slow upward global trend through 2024 but notes charts end in 2024 and that 2025 reporting points to stability rather than large gains [7]. Consumer surveys, industry pledges and pact targets (U.S. Plastics Pact) add commitments that differ from observed system performance [9] [10].
5. Policy and industry context: targets vs. reality
Industry and policy groups set ambitious recycling or recycled‑content goals for 2025 (e.g., EU and corporate pledges, the U.S. Pact’s reuse/recyclability aims), but independent analyses say system capacity, economics and design gaps limit actual recycling today [6] [9] [10]. The Communications Earth & Environment study and allied reporting emphasize a shift toward incineration and continued reliance on virgin fossil‑fuel feedstocks, underscoring why recycled shares remain low even as rhetoric and targets rise [6] [2].
6. Competing interpretations and what to watch next
Optimistic actors point to growing recycling infrastructure, industry design guides and corporate targets as leverage for rapid improvement [11] [12]. Critics — including Greenpeace and some analysts — call mechanical recycling a “dead‑end” for many plastics and argue reported recyclability claims overstate real outcomes [5]. Key near‑term indicators to watch are updated EPA recycling estimates and follow‑up material‑flow studies, plus how policies (extended producer responsibility, recycled‑content mandates) and market prices for virgin vs. recycled resin change [13] [11].
Limitations: reporting relies on recently published studies and media coverage; available sources do not include a single authoritative “2025 global and U.S. rate” number beyond the under‑10% global finding and multiple U.S. estimates around 5–6% [1] [2] [4] [5].