Waste (in tons) Per Person in Landfills by State in 2019

One major issue in today’s society is waste production and management. In recent years, there have been many concerns about a rise in pollution and global temperatures. Ocean acidification and air pollution are two direct results of improper waste management, and these have negative impacts on all of us, and many can lead to long-lasting health conditions and problems. As can be seen in the graph, Connecticut had the lowest per capita waste presence in landfills, with 8.7 tons of waste products in 2019. The next lowest state is Massachusetts, with 16.2 tons of waste byproduct in landfills. The trend continues increasing, with several states remaining in the 16-18 ton range. With regards to North Dakota, Maryland, South Dakota, and Vermont, and Maine, the per capita presence of waste in landfills in 2019 ranged from 20.3 to 21.9 tons, respectively. This is an alarming statistic, and the total gap between Connecticut and Maine is 13.2 tons.

Sources Cited:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/591862/least-waste-per-capita-in-us-landfills-by-major-state/