How much waste goes to landfills?

Screen Shot 2015-12-09 at 9.59.37 AMGrade level: 5th

Skills: Subtraction (fraction)

Related environmental issues: Reduce, reuse & recycle

Area level: Household

On average, 4  2/5 pounds of waste is generated from one person in the United States a day.

  1. On average, 1  1/2 pounds of waste generated from one person in the United States is recycled a day. How much discarded waste from one person in the United States is NOT recycled and end up in landfills a day?
  2. Which statement is true?    The answer of the #1 is  a) larger than 1 pound and smaller than 2 pounds  b) larger than 2 pounds and smaller than 3 pounds  c) larger than 3 pounds and smaller than 4 pounds

Source: US Energy Information Administration

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Answer keys

  1. 2  9/10 pounds (4 2/5 – 1  1/2 = 4  4/10 – 1  5/10 = 3  14/10 – 1  5/10 = 2  9/10)
  2.  b