Nebraska Statewide Material Characterization Study report released

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska now has updated data that will help communities, landfills, and recycling organizers make decisions about managing the state's waste streams.

On July 8, 2026, the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) released the 2025 Nebraska Statewide Material Characterization Study. This study examined what was sent to eight landfills and transfer stations across the state throughout 2025, compared current data with the state’s 2009 waste characterization study, and reviewed opportunities for waste diversion programs and policies into the future.

DWEE received a $612,000 Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant (SWIFR) from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency to complete this study.

“Data from the 2025 material characterization study can help waste and recycling managers examine the success of current waste management strategies,” DWEE Director Jesse Bradley said. “And this new data also can provide a path forward on new, innovative efforts that divert waste from landfills, turning items into valuable materials that can be reutilized and provide additional economic benefits to Nebraska.”

According to the study, the three largest categories of waste sent to Nebraska municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in 2025 are:

Organics – 27%
Other Waste Categories (textiles/leather, bulky items, and non-distinct, among other components) – 25.2%
Paper – 18%

Other categories measured in the 2025 study include: Plastics, 13.3%; Construction and Demolition Materials (C&D), 11.3%; Metals, 3.2%; and Glass, 2%.

When comparing the 2025 study results with data from the 2009 study, three notable trends in overall waste sent to MSW landfills emerged:

The amount of Paper decreased over 50% from 41.5% in 2009 to 18% in 2025.
Organic Materials increased by nearly 10% since 2009.
C&D Materials increased by nearly 10.5%, since 2009.
 
In the Recommendations Section, the study identifies waste materials that have the potential to be diverted from landfills by implementing new diversion programs, or expanding on existing ones, such as lithium batteries and beverage containers. It also recommends actions that reduce waste, such as education campaigns, reuse initiatives, and disposal bans. Last, the study recommends identifying infrastructure needs to support composting/digestion for organic materials and the collection and recycling of textiles.

The study was designed to examine waste sent to both urban and rural landfills, as well as small and large landfills. Field work was completed at multiple landfills during each season for a complete look at Nebraska’s waste stream on an annual basis.

Data in the study is broken down by sector (construction and demolition; residential; industrial, commercial, institutional; and mixed), by season, and by landfill.

Landfills and transfer stations that participated in the study are:

Bluff Road Solid Waste Management Facility
Hastings Sanitary Landfill
Lexington Area Solid Waste Agency Landfill
Norfolk Transfer Station
Pheasant Point Landfill
Sidney Area Solid Waste Agency Landfill
Solid Waste Agency of Northwest Nebraska Transfer Station
Valentine Area Solid Waste Agency Landfill

The study also includes a Recoverability Report, which measured the amount of materials that may be recycled, reused, composted, or used for manufacturing; it found that 82.9% of materials could be diverted from landfills through these uses.