How to Conduct a Sustainable Waste Management Audit For Your Organization
Every year about 11.2 billion tonnes of solid waste is collected worldwide, with much of that ending up in landfills, contributing to emissions and environmental change. So, when it comes to deciding which sustainability practices to focus on in your workplace, waste management is an area that can significantly reduce your organization’s environmental footprint.
You may already be recycling and composting, but there is always room for improvement, and a sustainable waste management audit can help make your existing practices more efficient and effective.
Why Do a Waste Management Audit?
What gets measured gets managed, and an audit of your current recycling, electronics, garbage and organics disposal practices can help you gain valuable insights into current patterns, identify areas for improvement, and reduce your overall environmental footprint.
With the growing concern for our planet's health, customers and stakeholders are increasingly gravitating towards eco-friendly brands and businesses, and regularly reporting on waste management can enhance your organization’s reputation, attract eco-conscious customers, and even cut costs.
As climate-related regulations roll out around the world, more businesses are being asked to report on their suppliers’ sustainability factors, including their waste management practices. Waste management audits may also be a requirement for obtaining certain business certifications.
By identifying inefficiencies in waste disposal and implementing effective recycling and waste reduction strategies, you can also cut down on disposal fees and purchasing costs, ultimately boosting your business’ bottom line.
-
Prepare for the Audit
Start by selecting a dedicated waste management team with representatives from different departments within your organization. This promotes diverse perspectives, ideas and expertise, inspiring more creative and effective waste management solutions.
Next, pick a date for when the audit will take place. Ideally, this should be during a “business as usual” week without special events or other circumstances that would result in unusually high amounts of waste.
In some cases, an external third-party may be called upon to conduct the audit. If you choose this route, arrange for a key liaison who will represent the organization and will guide the consultant on a walk-through of your company’s facilities.
-
Prepare Your Workspace
Make a list of the items and tools you will need to perform the audit. These might include an outdoor area with tables, trash bags, face masks and rubber gloves, as well as clipboards, pens and notebooks for recording results.
-
Sort Your Waste
It’s audit day! Gather your team at the pre-determined location and get to work arranging your recycling, organics, electronics, hazardous waste, and non-recyclables into categories, placing the items into pre-labeled boxes. Make notes throughout the process, indicating whether any items are soiled or if they were originally placed in the incorrect bin. Next, weigh each category and record the total weight of each.
-
Analyze the Results
Data Analysis: Carefully examine the metrics obtained during the waste audit. Look for patterns, trends, and deviations from expected waste generation, tracking the flow of waste from its source to its final disposal point. Here you might start to notice waste hotspots and potential areas for improvement. You can also create a checklist that covers waste generation, segregation, handling and disposal practices.
Benchmarking: Compare your waste management performance against industry standards or waste reduction goals. This will help you gauge your progress and identify areas where you might be falling short.
Identifying Hotspots: Pinpoint areas in your waste stream that contribute the most to waste generation. These are prime targets for improvement measures.
Engage Stakeholders: Involve employees, managers and executives in the data analysis process. Collaborate on understanding the findings and seeking input on potential solutions.
-
Create a Waste Management Plan
You can use the insights from your waste audit to establish clear and achievable waste reduction goals, and strategies for achieving them. Whether it's reducing overall waste generation, increasing recycling rates, or promoting composting, well-defined objectives can help guide your actions. These can include:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Encourage your organization to prioritize waste reduction by minimizing the use of single-use items and opting for reusable alternatives. Implement a recycling program to ensure that recyclable materials are diverted from landfills and given a second life.
Composting: Composting creates nutrient-rich soil amendments that can be used to enrich gardens and landscapes and can drastically reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills. It's a simple yet impactful way to close the loop on organic waste.
Source Separation: Proper waste segregation at the source is a key factor in efficient recycling and disposal. To encourage responsible waste disposal habits among staff and visitors, place clearly labeled bins for recyclables, organics, and non-recyclables in easily accessible locations.
Donate or Repurpose: Encourage your organization to donate surplus goods or equipment that are no longer needed. Consider giving gently used items to charities or exploring creative ways to repurpose items rather than discarding them, and rent instead of buying equipment.
Reduce Waste: Reduce or eliminate the waste that comes into your organization by making tweaks to your current policies. For example, encourage staff to bring package-free lunches to the office, decide to become a paperless office, and ask suppliers whether they offer package-free options.
-
Educate and Train
Implement comprehensive training and education programs to raise awareness of waste management best practices. Involve employees and get buy-in for waste reduction initiatives by running education sessions, creating clear signage and organized, intuitive processes.
-
Measure Progress
Implement metrics and key performance indicators to track your progress toward waste reduction goals, while regularly monitoring and analyzing data. Review your waste management plan periodically and make necessary adjustments based on feedback, changing circumstances, or new opportunities.
Conducting a sustainable waste management audit can be a transformative step towards a greener future. By adopting eco-friendly practices, reducing waste, and embracing responsible disposal methods, organizations and individuals can make a positive impact on the environment.
If you’re interested in hiring a waste management consultant to support your organization, visit Intengine.com. Featuring an array of smart search filters, the global directory of sustainable businesses makes it easy to connect with like-minded organizations in just a few clicks.
Tags: waste management, waste management audit, waste, reduce, recycle, reuse, sustainable waste management, responsible disposal