America Recycles Day 2017

Published: November 8, 2017

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America Recycles Day, celebrated annually on November 15th is a National Initiative of "Keep America Beautiful"

America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day and community-driven awareness event dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States, encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products.

Although America Recycles Day was started in 1997 by the recycling sector organization National Recycling Coalition, it wasn’t until 2010 that it became a program of national nonprofit under “Keep America Beautiful.“ America Recycles Day's goal is to provide promotional and marketing support as well as numerous resources to local event organizers. Sponsored by EPA and private and public sponsors, thousands of organizations commit to holding events and educating people in their community about recycling resources available to them. Citizens are encouraged to increase recycling at home, school, and work and in their communities. (Sources: Keep America Beautiful and America Recycles Day )



Did you know that 34% of total waste is recycled in the United States? (Source:americarecyclesday.org )


There are no national laws mandating recycling, however state and local governments have implemented their own regulations, and EPA oversees regulations of a variety of waste issues including hazardous wastes, landfills and recycling goals. The Resource and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 amended the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965, and addressed problems the nation was facing from its growth in industrial and municipal waste, but only addresses recycling in calling for increased federal purchases of products made with recycled materials.


Related Legislation

90 Stat. 2795 - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
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42 U.S.C. 82 – Solid Waste Disposal
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40 CFR Protection of Environment, Subchapter 1 – Solid Wastes (Parts 239 – 299)
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