California Misses Recycling Target, But That's OK

Recycling has become uneconomical, and modern landfills are well-engineered to safely handle waste.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 6:47pm

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California has fallen far short of its goal to recycle or compost 75% of waste by 2022, with only 42% of waste recycled in 2024. However, experts argue that recycling is not economically efficient and modern landfills are safe, suggesting the state's recycling targets may be unrealistic.

Why it matters

California has aggressively pushed recycling as an environmental imperative, but the state's recycling crisis highlights the economic realities and environmental tradeoffs involved. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the state's recycling policies and whether the focus on recycling is misguided.

The details

Data shows that in 2024, only 32.4 million tons out of 77.2 million tons of waste generated in California, or 42%, was recycled. The rest, 44.7 million tons, was dumped in landfills. This is far from the state's goal of 75% recycling or composting. Much of the state's waste is also exported overseas, where environmental stewardship is often lacking. Recycling plastic and glass has become uneconomical, leading to the closure of many recycling facilities in the state.

  • In 2024, 77.2 million tons of waste was generated in California.
  • In 2024, only 32.4 million tons, or 42%, of that waste was recycled.

The players

CalRecycle

California's state waste agency that tracks recycling data.

Howard Husock

A researcher who has found that the economics of recycling are "upside down" for governments, who incur significant costs to operate recycling programs.

John Tierney

An author and journalist who wrote in 1996 that "Recycling Is Garbage" and has argued that modern landfills are safe and there is ample space for waste disposal.

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The takeaway

California's aggressive recycling targets may be unrealistic given the economic realities and environmental tradeoffs involved. Rather than viewing recycling as an absolute good, the state should re-evaluate its policies and consider the role of modern, well-engineered landfills as a safe and cost-effective waste disposal solution.