Recology

Recology’s 2026 Sustainability Update reports that during fiscal 2025 it processed 1.6 million US tons of recyclable and compostable materials. Its chart lists highlighted categories, including 1,180,030 tons of organics, 227,459 tons of paper and cardboard, 59,836 tons of glass, 44,289 tons of metals, 28,484 tons of construction debris, 16,257 tons of plastics, 2,182 tons of electronics, 719 tons of appliances and 270 tons of batteries. The report says the graphic highlights a subset of total recovered materials, not a complete category breakdown. The update says 100% of materials covered by its stated 2025 measure were sold to domestic markets. The report defines recyclable totals as material processed at Recology MRFs or transfer stations and sent to third-party recyclers or MRFs; compostables include material processed at its facilities or transfer stations before third-party composting; both exclude landfill residuals. These are company-reported system totals, not a supply catalog or proof that a specific commodity lot is available.

Collection
Waste companies
Region
United States
Evidence through
Sources
4 public

Key facts

Company
Recology
Industry
Waste & Resource Recovery
Materials
Batteries, Glass, Organics, Paper and fiber, Plastics
Processes
Recycling, Sorting, Composting
Regions
North America
Countries
United States
Evidence through
Sources
4 public sources

Reporting scope

The FY2025 total includes recyclable material processed at Recology MRFs or transfer stations and sent to third-party recyclers or MRFs; compostables include material processed at Recology facilities or transfer stations before third-party composting. Landfill residuals are excluded. The report labels its category chart as a subset of total recovered material. Source

FY2025 reports 1.6 million tons across recycling and composting

The 2026 Sustainability Update says Recology processed 1.6 million tons of recyclable and compostable materials in FY2025. Its category chart includes organics, paper and cardboard, glass, metals, construction debris, plastics, electronics, appliances and batteries. The report labels these units tons, so this brief preserves the US unit wording.

The report’s scope includes third-party downstream processing

Recology’s methodology includes recyclable materials processed at its MRFs or transfer stations and sent to third-party recyclers or MRFs. Compostable material includes material processed at Recology facilities or transfer stations before composting by third parties. Residuals sent to landfill are excluded. The system total therefore is not all material physically processed in Recology-owned plants.

Published totals do not establish a purchasable lot

The update says 100% of the materials in the reported 2025 measure were sold to domestic markets, but it does not list available inventory, commodity contracts, bale specifications or named buyers. A procurement-grade conversation needs region- and facility-specific records rather than the company-wide recovery chart.

Material Transition editorial interpretation

For a sourcing conversation, select one commodity, region and facility; confirm whether the flow is Recology-processed or transferred to a third party, the period and unit basis, grade and contamination, bale or product specification, downstream destination, chain of custody, existing commitments and available quantity. Preserve US short tons as reported; do not relabel them metric tonnes.

Sources

  1. [1]
    Recology 2026 Sustainability Update (opens in a new tab)

    recology.com

    Official report covers FY2025 ending September 30, 2025; reports 1.6 million tons processed, category breakdowns and 100% domestic-market sales. It defines recyclable/compostable scopes, includes certain third-party processing, and excludes landfill residuals.

  2. [2]
    Recology material recovery and composting overview (opens in a new tab)

    recology.com

    Official page describes MRF sorting into recyclable commodities and composting yard trimmings and food scraps into soil amendments. It links to the 2026 update and explains its category scope and emissions method.

  3. [3]
    Recology 2025 Sustainability Update (opens in a new tab)

    recology.com

    Official prior-year report provides corporate scope and background; not used as the source for FY2025 figures in this brief.

  4. [4]
    Recology 2026 Sustainability Update (opens in a new tab)

    recology.com

    Official report defines the mixed first-party/third-party processing perimeter and says its chart highlights only a subset; FY2025 system totals are not a facility-level output or complete materials ledger.

Topics in this brief