Job Growth Expected by Reducing use of Landfills

There is tremendous job growth potential in the Materials Solid Waste (MSW) management industry. Recycling - diverting materials away from the waste stream into manufacturing - requires a higher volume of human labor per ton of material than what is needed to landfill waste material.

In 2008 only 33% of all MSW was recycled or diverted from the landfill according "More Jobs, Less Pollution: Growing the Recycling Economy in the US" a report by the Tellus Institute with Sound Resource Management.

As industry continues to shift toward seeing waste as a resource and cities adopt stricter recycling or "pay as you dump" policies the rate of diversion from landfill will coincide with an increase in expansion of companies that handle the material. Even if there are no policy changes, due to the increasing volume of material from population growth, the rate of increase in job growth between now and 2030 is expected to be 42%.

"The achievement of 75-percent diversion through a comprehensive set of programmatic, regulatory and policy measures results in dramatic increases in employment."

"Total employment in MSW management reaches almost 1.7 million in the Green Economy Scenario (75% diversion rate). Whereas the Base Case Scenario generates about 280,000 incremental jobs by 2030 (946,000 minus 666,000), the Green Economy Scenario generates more than 1 million (1,017,000) incremental jobs (1,684,000 minus 666,000). This is 739,000 jobs more than the Base Case." (Base case being 2030 levels with no changes in policy to encourage an increase in diverting waste from landfills)

An increase in diversion of materials away from landfills and into productive use also means less impact on humans and the environment. The report goes on to calculate the percentage in respiratory, carcinogenic, toxic and eutrophication pollutants that would be prevented from entering the environment under current diversion rates and with a 75% diversion rate. (Eutrophication refers to nitrate and phosphate pollution of water bodies that promotes excessive plant growth and decay, often resulting in oxygen depletion.) 

"For all pollutants, the Green Economy Scenario produces far greater emission reductions in 2030 than the Base Case, resulting in reduced threats to human health in terms of respiratory disease, cancer, and other impacts of toxics, as well as improved ecosystem health."

Greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase with no policy changes and significantly decrease under a 75% diversion scenario.

More jobs, less pollution,...nice.