Pennsylvania Reports Record Recycling Levels

Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell announced that Pennsylvanians recycled a record 4.86 million tons of municipal waste in 2005. The recycling helped save $263 million in disposal costs for state residents. Additionally, the recycling levels resulted in helping businesses with an estimated market value of $577 million.

"The recycling industry is a significant contributor to Pennsylvania's economic vitality and environmental health," Governor Rendell said. "We're building market demand for recyclable materials, while benefiting and supporting the communities that collect these materials.

The commonwealth's recycling and reuse industry includes more than 3,200 establishments with total annual sales of $18.4 billion. The industry employs more than 81,000 people and has an annual payroll of $2.9 billion.

The employment, payroll and sales numbers are more than any other state in the northeast United States and are the second highest in the nation.

In addition, Pennsylvania's recycling and reuse industry provides an estimated $1.8 billion in indirect benefits to the economy and a direct impact of $305 million each year through the tax base.