Why call the bags-per-week default "approximate"?

EPA's per-person waste-generation figure is solid, but converting pounds of trash into gallons of bag volume needs a density estimate we couldn't find a single authoritative source for — so the default here is a reasonable starting point built on a rough conversion, not a precise number. Overwrite it with your household's actual bag count for an accurate result.

Does recycling or composting change this?

Only through the bags-per-week number you enter — if recycling and composting cut down what actually goes in the trash can, your real bag count will already reflect that, which is exactly what this field is for.

Calculator

Trash Bags Calculator

This calculator starts from EPA’s own national waste-generation figure to suggest a bags-per-week starting point for your household and can size, then turns that into gallons and bags per year — edit the starting point freely, since it’s built on an estimate, not a measurement of your household.

Last checked Sep 17, 2026

Gallons per year: 1,352 gal
Bags per year: 104 bags

Would rather not track any of this? STUD can reorder it for you automatically.

How we calculate this

Household waste generation: EPA's most recent national estimate is 4.9 pounds of municipal solid waste per person per day (2018, the latest year in EPA's published series). US EPA, "National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling".
Bags-per-week default (approximate): Converting that weight figure into bag volume requires a density for loose household trash, and no single authoritative government figure for that conversion was found — only secondary volume-to-weight conversion references, which put it at roughly 4 lbs per gallon uncompacted. The suggested bags-per-week default above is built from that approximation, not a precise published rate, which is exactly why the field is directly editable rather than fixed.
Can size: Standard product sizes, not a sourced fact — pick whatever your household actually uses.

Frequently asked questions

Why call the bags-per-week default "approximate"?: EPA's per-person waste-generation figure is solid, but converting pounds of trash into gallons of bag volume needs a density estimate we couldn't find a single authoritative source for — so the default here is a reasonable starting point built on a rough conversion, not a precise number. Overwrite it with your household's actual bag count for an accurate result.
Does recycling or composting change this?: Only through the bags-per-week number you enter — if recycling and composting cut down what actually goes in the trash can, your real bag count will already reflect that, which is exactly what this field is for.