Every year,Americans throw away 50 billion food and drink cans,27 billion glass bottles and jars,and 65 million plastic and metal jar and can covers.More than 30 percent of our waste is packaging materials.Where does all go? Some 85 percent of our garbage is sent to a dump,or landfill, where it can take from 100 to 400 years for things like cloth and aluminum to decompose.Glass has been found in perfect condition after 4,000 years in the earth.