Post #9- EPA MSW Data

Hmm... okay, so I was hunting around for more relevant information and on the EPA website I got great numbers that I want to share. I don't think I could get the actual graph, but I can copy it and provide a link.
According to the EPA at this web address- http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htm
America produces almost 250 million TONS of MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) per year. In 2009, the most recent data published, America produced 243 million tons of MSW. This amounts to 4.3 pounds of waste per person, per day. Wow. I haven't finished my week yet, but even with my limited data and Owen's data I know that that sounds bogus. I haven't even produced 1 pound of trash in a day, let alone 4!  I would understand more if this number included every waste we produce, including biological, and different wastes I don't think about, like food wastes at a restaurant that go unused from the meal I order... but number "consists of everyday items we use and then throw away, such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries. This comes from our homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses", not whole hog. Just stuff we throw away.

Now that number then may automatically factor in all of the stuff I don't think about, restaurant waste and business and school waste, hospital waste (although this number does not include hazardous waste). Perhaps it merely takes all the MSW of America and then divides it by the number of people here that generate it. Even so, I am astounded. That's a lot of trash! And about 50% of it gets landfilled. 50%! That's a lot... how much of it has to be there? How much could be made differently, so that it is recyclable, or better yet, biodegradable?

The figures stack up thusly: BEFORE RECYCLING, percentages of the 2009 MSW 243 million tons--

Paper and paperboard: 28.2%
Plastics: 12.3%
Metals: 8.6%
Rubber, leather and textiles: 8.3%
Wood: 6.5%
Glass: 4.8%
Other: 3.5%

And now more importantly:
Food scraps: 14.1%
Yard trimmings: 13.7%

How many of that doesn't need to be in a landfill?? I understand that a lot of that food matter can't be composted due to other contaminants such as grease, meat, dairy products, etc. but what about yard clippings? Yes this is before recycling, and thus also before any composting, but how much of it is actually pulled out and then composted? Sounds like quite a job to me. It'd have to be really organized.