U.S. reference data
Source-backed numbers on furniture disposal, moving and repair debris. Built for anyone who needs a clear, citable view of the work behind a cleanout.
Last checked: October 16, 2026
What this covers
Furniture, old appliances, move-out leftovers and renovation debris create different disposal problems. This page brings together the strongest available national data for the furniture and cleanout side of that picture.
Most federal waste figures currently available are for 2018. Each statistic below says exactly what it measures and links to the underlying public source, so it can be quoted in context.
of furniture and furnishings entered the U.S. municipal waste stream in 2018.
EPA’s category includes sofas, tables, chairs and mattresses after their primary use and reuse by secondary owners.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data, 2018 data ↗of discarded furniture and furnishings was landfilled in 2018.
That works out to 9.68 million tons. The same EPA data records 2.36 million tons sent to combustion with energy recovery.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data, 2018 data ↗of furniture and furnishings was recorded as recycled in 2018.
EPA notes that measurable recovery data were not available for most materials in this category, aside from mattresses. The number is not a complete count of every informal reuse or salvage route.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data, 2018 data ↗of U.S. municipal solid waste was landfilled in 2018.
EPA reports 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste generated that year. Furniture is one part of that broader household waste picture.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling, 2018 data ↗of construction and demolition debris was generated in the U.S. in 2018.
This national total includes buildings, roads, bridges and other structures. It is useful context for repair and renovation debris, but it is not a count of household junk alone.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet ↗of 2018 construction and demolition debris came from demolition.
That is about 94% of the 600.3 million-ton total, calculated from EPA’s published table. Demolition drives the large majority of this material stream.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet ↗in the U.S. had moved to a new residence within the prior year in 2023.
The Census Bureau puts that at 12.1% of people age one and older, a reminder that moving remains a large driver of furniture decisions and clearouts.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey, published April 2025 ↗Putting the numbers to work
National statistics cannot tell you what one Albany home needs. They do show why a clear plan matters when a room, property or renovation starts producing bulky material. Good items may have another use. Damaged, heavy or time-sensitive items often need a more practical path.
If you are clearing a home, start by separating what should stay, what may be donated and what is ready to leave. For the lifting, hauling and cleanup that follow, T&L can help Albany homeowners and property owners make the job manageable.
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Figures are taken from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Census Bureau. We use the agency’s stated year for every figure and do not substitute local estimates for national data.
Where a percentage is calculated from a source table, the calculation is stated in the statistic. Source links are kept beside each number, not buried at the bottom of the page.
Suggested citation
T&L Handyman & Junk Removal Services. “Junk Removal & Home Clearout Statistics.” Updated October 16, 2026. https://tl-handyman-services.com/junk-removal-statistics
For a specific number, link directly to its stable section on this page, such as the furniture landfill statistic.