Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
April 2016
EPA’s 1997 report, “Measuring Recycling: A Guide for State and Local Governments”, was a
guide to facilitate standardization of MSW data collection at the local level, which included
volume-to-weight conversion factors for comparing recovery efforts between municipalities,
regions and states. The factors are also valuable when planners work with the national recovery
data presented in EPA’s sustainable materials management report series.
This document provides updates to the volume-to-weight conversion factors found in the 1997 report
Appendix B.
The goal of this update is to identify more current secondary data measurements of the various products.
Of particular interest are products known to have been source reduced through light weighting since the
early nineties such as plastic, glass and metal packaging. Some factors included on the original table are
excluded from the revised table due to lack of updated data. Primary data collection was not performed.
The original Appendix B table included 12 materials categories; the updated table provides factors for 15
material categories, including the following.
• Appliances
• Municipal Solid Waste
• Automotive
• Paper
• Carpeting
• Plastic
• Commingled Recyclables
• Textiles
• Electronics
• Wood
• Food
• Yard Trimmings
• Glass
• Construction & Demolition Debris
• Metals
(C&D)
All of the categories include multiple products and/or density measurements. Four product categories—
carpeting, commingled recyclable material, electronics and construction and demolition debris—are new.
Previously lead-acid batteries and scrap tires were separate categories but are combined into the single
category “Automotive” in the updated table.
Other differences include the removal/addition of products within some of the categories to better reflect
the current recycling industry. For example, eliminating “Tab Card” and adding “Mixed Paper” to the
paper category reflects the move toward commingled recyclables collection. The addition of
“Electronics” reflects the growth in these products since the original table was published.
The updated factors are shown in the table below.
1
Standard Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors
Category
Recyclable Materials
Volume
Estimated
Weight (lbs)
Source
Appliances
Major Appliances
Dishwasher
1 unit
125
1
Clothes Dryer
1 unit
125
1
Stove
1 unit
150
1
Refrigerator
250
1
Clothes Washer
1 unit
150
1
Automotive
Lead-Acid Battery
Auto
36
3
Truck
47
3
Scrap Tire
Light Duty Tires (passenger, light truck)
22.5
5
Commercial Tires
120
5
Fluids
Used Motor Oil
7.4
2
Antifreeze
gallon
8.42
2
Other Automotive
Oil Filters not crushed
drum
175
1
Oil Filters crushed
drum
700
1
Oil Filters
gallon
5
1
Carpeting
Carpet
Carpet
147
6
Carpet Padding
62
6
Commingled
Recyclable
Containers (Plastic bottles, Aluminum cans, Steel cans, Glass bottles) and Paper
Commingled Recyclables
262
4
Material
Containers (Plastic bottles, Aluminum cans, Steel cans, Glass bottles), Corrugated
Containers and Paper
Campus Recyclables
92
7
Commingled Recyclables
111
4
Containers (Plastic bottles, Aluminum cans, Steel cans, Glass bottles) – No paper
Campus Recyclables
70
7
Commingled Recyclables
67
4
Commercial Recyclables
cubic yard
113
8
Containers (Cans, Plastic) - No glass
Campus Recyclables
32
7
Containers (Cans, Plastic) and Paper - No glass
Residential Recyclables
260
2
Containers (Food/beverage, Glass) Corrugated Containers and Paper
Commercial Recyclables
88
2
Commercial Recyclables
58
21
Multifamily Recyclables
96
2
Multifamily Recyclables
51
21
2
Category
Recyclable Materials
Volume
Estimated
Weight (lbs)
Source
Commingled
Single family Recyclables
126
2
Recyclable
Containers (Food/beverage, Glass) Corrugated Containers and Paper- No glass
Material
Campus Recyclables
139
2
Commercial Recyclables
155
2
Electronics
Computer Equipment
Desktop
27
24
Laptop
9.8
24
Monitor
CRT
40
1
15"
30
2
17"
45
2
21"
60
2
Flat Panel
24
1
Mixed Monitors
29.4
24
Televisions
CRT < 19 inch
41
1
CRT > 19 inch
73
1
Flat Panel
29
1
Mixed TVs
67.3
24
Peripheral Devices
Printers
16.1
24
Mice
0.2
9
Keyboards
2.9
9
Mobile Devices
Cellular Phone
0.22
9
Mixed Electronics
Brown Goods
343
6
Computer-related Electronics
354
6
Other Small Consumer Electronics
438
6
Food
Fats, Oils, Grease
412
2
Organics - commercial
135
21
Source Separated Organics - commercial
1,000
15
Food Waste - restaurants
396
21
Food Waste
463
4
Food Waste
22-45
4
Food waste - university
3.8
22
Food Waste
150
4
Food waste
2,736
4
Glass
Bottles
Loose
380
4
3
Category
Recyclable Materials
Volume
Estimated
Weight (lbs)
Source
Metals
Aluminum Cans
Uncompacted
46
4
Uncompacted
0.7
11
Baled
250-500
10
Steel Cans
Whole
50-175
10
Baled
700-1,000
10
Steel Cans - Institution
Whole
0.09
7
Whole
136
7
Paper
Newsprint
Loose
360-800
1
Baled
750-1,000
10
Books - paperback, loose
428
23
Old Corrugated Containers
Flattened
106
4
Baled
700-1,100
10
Old Corrugated Containers and Chip Board
Uncompacted
74.54
4
Office Paper
Computer Paper
Loose
375-465
1
Compacted/Baled
755-925
1
Mixed
Loose
110-380
1
Loose
323
4
Compacted
610-755
1
Shredded
128
4
Mixed Baled
1,000-1,200
10
Miscellaneous
Cartons (milk and juice) uncrushed
50
7
Plastic
PET
PET Bottles - baled
525-630
12
PET Thermoform - baled
525-595
12
HDPE
HDPE Dairy - baled
525-700
12
HDPE Mixed - baled
525-700
12
Mixed PET and HDPE
Loose
32
7
Mixed Bottles/Containers #1 - #7
Loose
40.4
4
Mixed Bottles/Containers #3 - #7
4
Category
Recyclable Materials
Volume
Estimated
Weight (lbs)
Source
Plastic
Loose
25.7
4
Film
LDPE, loose
35
13
LDPE, compacted
150
13
LDPE, baled
1,100
13
Miscellaneous
Trash Bags
35
6
Grocery/Merchandise Bags
35
6
Expanded Polystyrene
Packaging/Insulation
32
6
Textiles
Mixed Textiles
Loose
125-175
10
Baled
600-750
10
Wood
Wood
Wood Chips, green
473
1
Wood Chips, dry
243
1
Saw Dust, wet
530
1
Saw Dust, dry
275
1
Pallets
25
1
Pallets and Crates
cubic yard
169
18
Christmas Trees, loose
30
1
Yard
Yard Trimmings
Trimmings
Leaves
250-500
1
Leaves (Minnesota)
300 - 383
15
Mixed Yard Waste
Uncompacted
250
1
Compacted
640
1
Prunings & Trimmings
127
6
Branches & Stumps
127
6
Municipal
Solid Waste
MSW - Commercial
Commercial - dry waste
56-73
16, 8
Commercial - all waste, uncompacted
138
21
Mixed MSW - Residential, Institutional, Commercial
Uncompacted
250-300
14
Compacted
400-700
14
Mixed MSW - Multifamily uncompacted
95
21
MSW - Landfill
Compacted - MSW Small Landfill with Best
Management Practices
1,200-1,700
17
Compacted - MSW Large Landfill with Best
Management Practices
1,700-2,000
17
5
Category
Recyclable Materials
Volume
Estimated
Weight (lbs)
Source
Municipal
Solid Waste
Compacted - MSW Very Large Landfill with
Best Management and Cover Practices,
Combined MMSW/Industrial/and other solid
waste, or/and Leachate Recirculation
>2,000
17
C &D
Concrete
Large Concrete with Re-bar
cubic yard
860
18
Large Concrete without Re-bar
cubic yard
860
18
Small Concrete with Re-bar
cubic yard
860
18
Small Concrete without Re-bar
cubic yard
860
18
Asphalt Paving
Large Asphalt Paving with Re-bar
cubic yard
773
19
Large Asphalt Paving without Re-bar
cubic yard
773
19
Small Asphalt Paving with Re-bar
773
19
Small Asphalt Paving without Re-Bar
cubic yard
773
19
Roofing
Composition Roofing
cubic yard
731
18
Other Asphalt Roofing
cubic yard
731
18
Other Aggregates
cubic yard
860
18
Wood
Clean Dimensional Lumber
cubic yard
169
18
Clean Engineered Wood
cubic yard
268
18
Other Recyclable Wood
cubic yard
169
18
Painted/Stained Wood
cubic yard
169
18
Treated Wood
cubic yard
169
18
Gypsum Board
Clean Gypsum Board
cubic yard
467
18
Painted/Demolition Gypsum
cubic yard
467
18
Aggregate
Large Rock
cubic yard
999
18
Small Rock/Gravel
cubic yard
999
18
Dirt and Sand
cubic yard
929
18
Remainder/Composite
Construction and Demolition
cubic yard
417
18
Construction & Demolition Bulk
cubic yard
484
20
Metal
Major Appliances
145
18
Other Ferrous
225
18
Other Non-Ferrous
225
18
Remainder/Composite Metal
(avg of metals, without used oil filters)
143
18
HVAC Ducting
47
18
6
1 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. 2007 Oregon Material Recovery and Waste Generation Rates Report September 2008
08-LQ-092. Attachment B: Measurement Standards and Reporting Guidelines 07-LQ-134.
http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/pubs/docs/sw/MRAttachmentB.pdf
2 Department of Ecology, State of Washington. Coordinated Prevention Grant Conversion Sheet. March,2014.
www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/1107016.pdf
3 Factor developed using lead per battery data from Battery Council International. Recycling Rates 2009 to 2013. April 2014.
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/batterycouncil.org/resource/resmgr/BCI_Recycling_Rate_Study_200.pdf applied to battery composition
data from Sulllivan, JL and Gaines, L. 2010. A Review of Battery Life Cycle Analysis: State of Knowledge and Critical Needs. October
2010. Center for Transportation Research, Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory ANL/ESD/10-7.
4 Keep America Beautiful. Volume-to-Weight Recycling and Trash Conversion Factors Report. December2013.
5 Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). 2013 U.S. Scrap Tire Management Summary. November 2014.
http://www.rma.org/download/scrap-tires/market-reports/US_STMarket2013.pdf
6 California Integrated Waste Management Board. Targeted Statewide Waste Characterization Study: Detailed Characterization of
Construction and Demolition Waste. June 2006. http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/publications/Documents/Disposal%5C34106007.pdf
Brown Goods: larger, non-portable electronic goods that have some circuitry. Examples include microwaves, stereos, VCRs, DVD
players, radios, audio/visual equipment, and non-CRT televisions (such as LCD televisions).
Computer-related Electronics: electronics with large circuitry that is computer-related. Examples include processors, mice,
keyboards, laptops, disk drives, printers, modems, and fax machines.
Other Small Consumer Electronics: portable non-computer-related electronics with large circuitry. Examples include personal
digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones, phone systems, phone answering machines, computer games and other electronic toys,
portable CD players, camcorders, and digital cameras.
7 Keep America Beautiful, Recycle-Bowl Competition. Accessed February 2015. http://recycle-bowl.org/wp-content/uploads/Recycle-
Bowl-Estimating-Data-Fact-Sheet.pdf
8 Great Forest. Volume to Weight Conversion Ratios for Commercial Office Waste in New York City. January 2013. Primary data;
Commingled; large commercial properties (500,000 sq. ft – 1m sq. ft) in the New York metropolitan area.
http://www.greatforest.com/files/FileUpload/files/Great%20Forest%20-%20Waste%20Conversion%20Paper%20-
9 US EPA Electronics Waste Management in the United States Through 2009 . May 2011.
10 WasteCare Corporation. Some Typical Loose and Baled Weights of Various Materials. Accessed April 2015.
http://www.wastecare.com/Products-Services/Balers/aboutbalers.htm.
11 The Aluminum Association. U.S. Aluminum Beverage Can Recycling.
http://www.aluminum.org/sites/default/files/section_images/UBCRecyclingRate2013.pdf
12 The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR). Model Bale Specifications. http://www.plasticsrecycling.org
13 Caldwell, Maggie. Recycling Plastic Film and Shrink Wrap. May 16, 2014. http://www.federalinternational.com/blog/recy
14 Caterpillar Performance Handbook. 40th Edition. January 2010.
15 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Data provided by professional composter. 2015. Source separated organics - food scraps, non-
recyclable paper (paper plates/towels/etc) and compostable plastics.
16 Minnesota Department of Administration 2015 hauler records (excludes organics).
17 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 2013 MPCA MSW Landfill Annual Report Data.
18 California Integrated Waste Management Board. Targeted Statewide Waste Characterization Study: Detailed Characterization of
Construction and Demolition Waste. June 2006
19 Tellus scaled down by factor from Florida C&D study -- Converting C&D Debris from Volume to Weight: A Fact Sheet for
C&D Debris Facility Operators, University of Florida, 2000.
20 Florida Dept of Environmental Protection http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/recycling/cd/canddmain.htm
21 CalRecycle. 2014 Generator-Based Characterization of Commercial Sector Disposal and Diversion in California. September 10, 2015.
http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Documents/1543/20151543.pdf
Organics - putrescible material hauled by a contracted third party to a permitted facility mainly engaged in producing compost or
mulch, or in anaerobic digestion of organics. Minor mechanical separation of contaminants or recyclable materials may occur at the
facility prior to composting or digestion.
22 Goldstein, Nora. "Food Scraps Composting Laboratory". BioCycle. January 2013, Vol. 54, No. 1, p. 33.
https: //www .biocycle.net/2013/01/22/food-scraps-composting-laboratory/
23 U.S. EPA. Standard Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors. Last updated: February 28, 2006. https://www.epa.gov/smm/metrics-
waste-reduction
24 National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER). http://www.electronicsrecycling.org/
Mixed monitors and TVs: total pounds collected divided by total units collected.
7