Unlocking a Unified Data Foundation for U.S. Recycling

Use regularly updated data to drive smarter packaging, policy, and infrastructure decisions.

 

The Community Recycling Program Acceptance Data, powered by The Recycling Partnership’s National Recycling Database and updated regularly, launched in fall 2024 to answer one essential question: What actually gets accepted by primary recycling programs at the local level?  

The U.S. residential recycling system moves billions of pounds of material—but with more than 9,000 local programs and inconsistent guidelines, what’s accepted in peoples’ primary recycling programs varies widely. That fragmentation creates blind spots for the industry working to design better packaging, educate people, meet policy requirements, and plan strategic infrastructure investments.  

The Acceptance Data closes those gaps in primary acceptance knowledge. It captures verified information from communities with 2,500 or more households, covering 99% of the U.S. population, and uses advanced systems to track local changes. The result? One step closer to faster, clearer, and more aligned decision-making across the packaging value chain.  

A consistent foundation of data and recyclability standards is essential to meet national and state policy demands, strengthen system performance, and accelerate meaningful progress. With this dashboard, industry leaders can be better informed to: 

  • Design packaging with real-world primary acceptance in mind 
  • Focus infrastructure investments where they create the biggest impact 
  • Support smarter policy with consistent, up-to-date information 

This isn’t just a dashboard. It’s a critical step toward a stronger data backbone for a better recycling system—built to continuously evolve and scale progress for everyone.  

 

 

What’s Next: Advancing Industry Alignment on Data Standards 

The publication of the Community Recycling Program Acceptance Data in 2024, supported by a joint methodology from The Partnership and GreenBlue, was designed to bring clarity on primary recycling program acceptance to a fragmented system. It was a critical first step. For the first time, both the public and industry gained access to frequently updated, localized data on primary community recycling program acceptance—and it now serves as a critical input for GreenBlue’s How2Recycle® labeling system.      

Our work on the data is never done. In 2025 and beyond, The Partnership is building on that momentum to establish and continuously evolve the unified data foundation that policy and progress require. To ensure the industry has a voice in shaping that ever-evolving data foundation, The Partnership is turning to The Circularity Council, an expanded group of leaders from across the recycling value chain, now including new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) state perspectives and the Circular Action Alliance.  

The goal: continue to create greater alignment, transparency, and credibility around data and standards that drives smarter decisions across packaging, infrastructure, and policy.  

Visit the Circularity Council page to learn more. 

 

Learn More: FAQ on Community Recycling Program Acceptance Data 

With the release of The Recycling Partnership’s Community Recycling Program Acceptance Data, powered by the National Recycling Database, industry leaders gain access to timely and actionable data that reveals gaps in recycling program acceptance across the U.S. This data supports informed decisions on packaging design, recycling infrastructure investments, and policy development and compliance.  

Check out our FAQ section to learn how data is collected, the scope of the data, definitions related to acceptance and access, and the factors that impact recyclability. Review the comprehensive FAQ document for more detail.

How does the National Recycling Database collect data on community recycling programs?

Short Answer:

The National Recycling Database collects data on community recycling programs from multiple sources, including direct input from community managers, automated research, manual research, and input from state organizations. Data is periodically subject to inspection and review for accuracy.  

Longer Answer:

Multiple data sources are consulted, which follow a data source hierarchy for review and publishing updates. The Database is updated using five primary data sources:  

  • Direct input from community managers verifying existing information and providing updates through the Recyclability Solutions Hub, which is then reviewed by Partnership staff before being published.  
  • Direct input from community managers into the Municipal Measurement Program, which is then reviewed by Partnership staff before being published.  
  • Automated research, including website screenshots, text scraping, and processing.  
  • Input from state organizations that survey communities and collect program information (usually annually).  
  • Manual research to verify that material acceptance, website links, PDFs, and program information are current.  

If a community’s primary recycling service includes an opt-in or subscription-based curbside recycling program by public or private service providers, it is included in the calculation of the acceptance rate.  

If a community’s primary recycling service is at a publicly accessible drop-off site that is advertised by the local government, it is included in the calculation of the acceptance rate. Specialty drop-off programs, including take-back and store drop-off programs, are not included in the Acceptance Data.

The Recycling Categories are the core data element of the Database. Recycling Categories are subcategories of Material Guideline Categories commonly acknowledged in community acceptance lists that include both packaging and products. The Recycling Categories need to be detailed enough so that specific packages can be tied to a single Recycling Category and the category’s acceptance in a local program can be determined.  

Each Recycling Category is mentioned by communities that represent at least 10% of U.S. occupied households. The specific category or example packages from the category are included in this analysis. The category can be mentioned as either accepted or prohibited by the community. 

Access refers to a household’s ability to recycle at home, either through curbside pickup or on-site recycling bins, regardless of the specific types of material accepted. Once a local recycling program establishes access to recycling for its residents, it creates an acceptance list for specific packaging formats. Acceptance, then, is defined as whether the community takes the item in their primary recycling program. 

To understand how to improve and expand the residential recycling system, it is essential to first understand the types of items that it is designed to handle. By publishing this data, we are seeking to decrease complexity, bring clarity, and increase investments where system gaps exist and need to be addressed.

Acceptance is one pillar in assessing recyclability, but it is not the sole determinant. A comprehensive assessment of an item’s recyclability includes factors that address material health, acceptance, MRF compatibility, reprocessor compatibility, and market demand. Ideally, acceptance rates should reflect the compatibility of an item with the downstream recycling system.  

Recyclability should be assessed using one of several available comprehensive frameworks. These frameworks vary in their definitions, thresholds, and boundaries, but they share a common approach in accounting for the multiple junctures of our recycling system. Two prominent frameworks are the How2Recycle Guide to Recyclability and the Residential Recyclability Framework. Recyclability definitions may increasingly differ by state under emerging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.

Changes to acceptance rates may affect How2Recycle recyclability assessments and assigned labels for on-pack usage. How2Recycle recyclability assessment decisions determined by GreenBlue will be based on acceptance rate trends over time to improve stability and accuracy. Each material format presents its own unique challenges and considerations, and adjustments may be made on a case-by-case basis. In the event of any potential changes, How2Recycle members will be notified in advance and given a sufficient grace period to make any necessary updates to their labels to comply with the new standards.

Discover More: Key Insights and Details Behind the Data

To deepen your understanding of the key factors that drive the recycling system, explore the supporting documents, which offer valuable insights into our data and methodology, along with detailed information.

If you have questions, please review the Understanding Community Recycling Program Acceptance document for more detail and reach out to The Recycling Partnership at datateam@recyclingpartnership.org. 

Disclaimer

The information provided in this webpage (or any of the resources cited herein) does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice or provide one or more legal opinions. All information is for general informational, educational, and illustrative purposes only and may not apply to or be relied upon for any specific circumstances including, but not limited to, recyclability claims, substantiation of recyclability claims, or to satisfy legal requirements such as Truth in Labeling laws. Any use or reliance upon any of the information contained in this webpage or any of the resources cited herein is at the user’s sole risk. The Recycling Partnership and GreenBlue disclaim all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on such information to the fullest extent permitted by law. An attorney should be consulted for advice on specific legal issues. Moreover, the data and supporting documents could include inaccuracies or typographical errors. The information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.