The line graph gives information about the national recycling rates every five years, from 1960 to 2011, a period of 51 years.
Overall, total waste recovery and percent recycling went up slightly during the first half of the period, but the former grew faster than the latter. However, they increased to register a peak in 2011.
From 1960 to 1985, the figure for total waste recovery rose slightly from 5.6 million tons to 16.7 million tons, while the proportion of percent recycling decreased steadily from 6.4% to 6.2% for the next 5 year and then climbed by 3.9% to 10.1% in 1985. During the next 26 years, the figure increased in both total waste recovery and percent recycling. The latter rose more slowly than the former, after which it peaked at 34.7% in 2011. The number for total waste recovery grew dramatically before reached a peak of 86.9 million tons in 2011.