The searchable database below allows users to determine which facilities their municipal solid waste (MSW) ends up in. Knowing this crucial information empowers residents to be informed about the impact of the trash they generate.
For example, if you determine that your trash is going to an incinerator (many times an example of environmental racism), you could approach your local solid waste management board and request that they divert your waste to a landfill. If you would like a more comprehensive analysis of your communities waste flow patterns, please contact Leel Dias.
Data Limitations
This database is in beta. 45% of state data has been combined into the database above -- the rest will be added soon. Therefore, be cautious when using the data above to draw conclusions or inform policy. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, comments, or need clarification about the data.
The database currently includes data from:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Nevada
- Nebraska
- Massachusetts
- North Carolina
- New Jersey
- Pennslyvania
- Utah
- Virginia
- Vermont
- Hawaii
It is anticipated that all states will be added by the early 2023.
Having trouble using the database above? Check out this tutorial video.
Since there is no national solid waste data inventory (such as RCRAInfo which tracks hazardous waste), the strength of data varies wildly from state to state. Some states (such as Alaska) don't track solid waste at all while other states (such as Connecticut or New Jersey) track the origin of waste down to municipalities. Therefore, even when this database is fully completed (featuring data from all states) it will not fully represent the national picture (as some states don't track data). Additionally, some states track import and export data while others don't. Also, note that older data is generally less comprehensive and less reliable.
For an overview of the scope and thoroughness of data for each state in the database see this table.
Finally, data from some states are more accurate and more thoroughly vetted than others. The Energy Justice Network assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the data -- we simply compiled the data provided to us by state agencies.
Data Sources
We reached out to all fifty states (and DC) requesting "any spreadsheet or database tracking the tonnage of waste brought to each solid waste transfer, recycling, composting, processing, or disposal facility (including landfills and incinerators), with fields sufficient to show the monthly tonnage (or quarterly or annual if monthly is not available), waste type, origin (state, county or municipality, in as much detail as is available), and waste destination if waste was transferred to another location, from the earliest data available in a spreadsheet or database format through the most recent data available."
Using public record requests, we obtained the most up-to-date solid waste data. Data was in many different formats -- from online web portals (check out the Python script we wrote to extract and parse Georgia's solid waste data) to excel spreadsheets to Microsoft Access databases. We documented the strength of the data and noted any limitations or issues with the data.
We then combined the data into an SQLite3 database (using Microsoft Access as a frontend). Finally, we utilized Tableau Public to transform the data into an easily useable web database. If you would like a copy of the SQLite3 database or data for a specific state, please email us.