Band 6+: the graph below shows waste recycling rates in the U.S. from 1960 to 2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The provided graph illustrates the proportion of recycling waste and recovery in the US,over the period of eleven years, between 1960 and 2011.

Overall, the period shows a higher rate of total waste recovery than recycling in most of the years. However, the trend remained relatively stable for both years, the period shows reversal in later years.

In 1960, the rate of recycling was 6.4% while total waste recovery was 5.6 million tons. Recycling initially rose to 6.2

% in 1965 before reaching 6.6% in 1985 preserving the rate till 1985. Subsequently, the rate continued to rise in later years with significant change, reaching 25.7% in 1995 while the peak rate was 34.7% in 2011.

On the other hand, the pattern of waste recovery remained consistent. The total waste recovered in 1960 was 5.6 million tons being the least among all years and reached 16.7 million tons in 1985 before drastic increase in later years. However, after 1995, the recovery proportion exceeded the rate of recycling, with the peak value of 86 million tons in 2011.