The bar chart illustrates the proportions of four different kinds of recycled materials in a town in the years 2000, 2005, and 2010.
Overall, it is clear that the recycling percentages of all categories of waste showed a significant increase over the decade. Notably, plastic always represented the lowest proportion throughout the whole period.
Examining the data in detail, all four waste types had similar recycling rates in 2000, at around 10%. However, percentages of each recycled item began to diverge from 2005 onwards. Among them, metal experienced a dramatic rise to a peak of 40% by 2010, becoming the dominant recycled material. In contrast, plastic showed the most modest growth/ the smallest increase during the period, reaching only 25% by the end.
Turning attention to cans, they initially had almost the same percentage as paper and metal in 2000. Nevertheless, can recycling slightly declined in 2005, before climbing rapidly to its peak at approximately 35% in 2010, becoming the second most recycled material. Meanwhile, paper remained steady and experienced gradual growth during the three given years, reaching around 30% by 2010.