How to Conduct a Waste Audit
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A bakery generates different wastes than an automotive shop or an elementary school. It's important to know what materials make up your waste so that you can develop a plan to reduce it. Follow these steps to determine what makes up your waste, how much you are throwing away, and how much it is costing you. The first step is to obtain your waste disposal records. |
Obtain Your Waste Disposal Records
Contact your trash collector to obtain your monthly disposal services invoices. These invoices can help you answer the following questions: How are you being charged, by the pull or by weight? How much are you paying each month? How much are you throwing away? By obtaining back invoices you can put together a picture of your yearly waste disposal charges and/or weights/amounts. This will also give you a base line from which you can track your future progress. Don't be afraid to call your trash collector with questions. These invoices can be confusing.
Walk Through Your Facility
A walkthrough of your facility is necessary to learn where trash is coming from and where it ends up. A walkthrough can also help you determine what waste is being thrown away, and help you identify reduction opportunities and potential savings. Use the Building Questionaire and the Walkthrough Worksheet to record your findings. You will want to plan the walkthrough for a time when garbage bins and dumpsters are full. You may want to contact your janitorial and/or building maintenance staff for assistance.
Consider Conducting a Waste Characterization Audit
A waste characterization audit should help you determine what materials make up your waste. There are two options for conducting a waste characterization audit. Either way, the goal is to find out what types of waste and how much of them are being thrown out. The first option involves estimating waste types and amounts by conducting a visual survey of individual waste receptacles. This can be accomplished during the building walkthrough. The second option is the most accurate and consists of actually sampling and weighing the building's wastes. The audit can be conducted at anytime of the day, but before garbage and recycling receptacles are emptied. You want to make sure that you are measuring exactly one day's worth of waste. So it may be helpful to obtain the assistance of custodial and/or building maintenance staff in conducting this phase of the audit. See the Waste Characterization Audit Guide download further guidance. Record your findings on Worksheet A and Calculate percentages using Worksheet B.