Conduct A Waste Assessment

Affordability

There are several options for conducting a waste assessment. There are external consultants who provide such services or it can be done as a self-assessment. Costs will vary depending on the size of business and the types of assessments required.

Cost savings

Information from a waste assessment will allow you to calculate potential financial and environmental savings. From reduced costs through avoiding unnecessary purchases to reduce waste removal costs and revenue generated from recyclables, a waste assessment or audit will present a baseline from which you can launch (and base) your program.

Environmental considerations

Waste reduction helps conserve valuable natural resources, reduces pollution and saves energy. Less waste is created when materials are reused and recycled, extending the life of existing landfills and reducing or at least delaying the need for new solid waste processing facilities.

What you need to know

Doing your own waste assessment does not have to be complicated.  Consider the following in your own waste assessment.

• As a start, make sure that all banned materials are being recycled. Check with your local regulators to see which materials are banned.
• Even with three out of every four of the Lower Mainland’s businesses recycling, over half of the region’s recyclable paper and cardboard winds up in landfill or the Burnaby Waste-to-Energy Facility.
• Walk through your business to find out where trash is coming from and where it is disposed of. Track your findings and make sure that you are doing your walk-through during normal operations and when the trash bins are full so that you can get an accurate picture of actual waste practices.
• Roll up your sleeves and actually look carefully at what is in the company waste by sorting a representative sample of waste generated. Make sure to check every department in your business, keeping an eye out for all materials in and around the office that can be properly disposed of, reused or recycled.
• Evaluate results and use the data to design a waste reduction program that sets goals and identifies opportunities for further reduction and maximum recycling and reuse of materials.

FAQ

What is the most important thing I can do to reduce the waste my business produces?
The best way to reduce waste is not to create it in first place. A sustainable purchasing policy can dramatically reduce your business’ waste and related costs. Think about the lifecycle of products before you purchase and look for options that can be refilled, recycled or redistributed in order to reduce waste down the road.