2. What is a waste assessment?
• A tool to help identify and quantify the
amount of waste generated
3. Why do a waste assessment?
• Identify areas of where we
can reduce waste
• What are some benefits to
waste reduction?
– Protect environment
– Save energy
– Reduce greenhouse gas
emissions
– Decrease cost
4. North Carolina Recycling Facts
• The trash we throw into the landfill each year is
equivalent to the weight of 6.8 billion cars.
• Last week, NC threw away enough newspapers
to fill nearly 3 football fields 3 feet deep.
• There is a state ban on throwing away aluminum
cans. Despite this, only half are recycled.
• From January to July, North Carolinians throw
away enough trash to build a 3 x 3 foot wall
around the earth.
5. Steps to Conducting a Waste
Assessment
1. Decide on the type of assessment that
will be performed
6. Types of Waste Assessments
1. Records Examination
• Examining school’s waste generation and removal
patterns
• Purchasing invoices, sales logs, waste hauling and
recycling records
2. Facility Walk-Through
• Tour school and grounds, observing activities in
each department, interviewing employees about
waste producing activities and equipment
3. Waste Sort
• Identify each component of school’s waste and
calculating its percentage of school’s total waste
generation
7. Records Examination
Strengths Limitations
• Provides weights or volumes • Might not provide quantitative
of wastes generated data about specific waste
• Tracks major potential waste components
from the point of origin • Does not provide qualitative
• Identifies the most expensive data on how or why wastes are
or valuable components of generated
waste • Might require substantial effort
• Documents financial benefits to collect and analyze data
of reuse and recycling
including total revenues and
avoided disposal costs
• Requires less time and effort
than other approaches
8. Facility Walk-Through
Strengths Limitations
• Requires less time and • Might not identify all
effort than waste sorts wastes generated
• Allows first-hand • Might not be
examination of facility representative if only
operations conducted once
• Provides qualitative • Relies on estimates of
information about major waste generation
waste components and
waste-generating
processes
• Reveals waste reduction
opportunities
9. Waste Sort
Strengths Limitations
• Provides qualitative data • Requires more time and
on total waste generation effort than other
and specific waste approaches
components • Might not be
representative if only
conducted once
• Does not provide
qualitative data on how or
why wastes are
generated
10. Steps to Conducting a Waste
Assessment
1. Decide on the type of assessment that
will be performed.
2. Map your Assessment
11. Mapping the Assessment
• Where will you perform the assessment?
• Will you evaluate the waste generation in
every classroom or a few?
• Will you include the kitchen and cafeteria
in your assessment?
12. Steps to Conducting a Waste
Assessment
1. Decide on the type of assessment that
will be performed.
2. Map your Assessment
3. Set a date and announce the
assessment
13. Announce the Assessment
• Let faculty and administration know of the
assessment
• Ask faculty to put aside a full day’s trash
so you can assess that trash
14. Steps to Conducting a Waste
Assessment
1. Decide on the type of assessment that
will be performed.
2. Map your Assessment
3. Set a date and announce the
assessment
4. Gather necessary supplies
15. Gathering Supplies
Facility Walk-Through Waste Sort
• Clip board and • Clip board and
assessment forms assessment forms
• Gloves • Gloves
• Litter pick-up stick • Scales
(used to move waste • Plastic traps
in containers) • Plastic bags
• Buckets
16. Steps to Conducting a Waste
Assessment
1. Decide on the type of assessment that
will be performed.
2. Map your Assessment
3. Set a date and announce the
assessment
4. Gather necessary supplies
5. Perform the assessment and record
gathered data
17. Performing the Assessment
1. Records Examination
• Collect relevant records such as purchasing invoices, sales
logs, and waste hauling and recycling records
• Compare purchasing information with waste and recycling
removal information
2. Facility Walk-Through
• Walk through the selected areas of the school, begin looking in
waste receptacles
• Estimate the volume and/or weight of materials collected.
Record estimated values on assessment form
3. Waste Sort
• Place tarps in area chosen for waste sort. Empty contents of
the dry trash on one tarp, wet on another
• Sort contents according to materials list on assessment form
• Weigh dry and wet trash
18. Steps to Conducting a Waste
Assessment
1. Decide on the type of assessment that
will be performed.
2. Map your Assessment
3. Set a date and announce the
assessment
4. Gather necessary supplies
5. Perform the assessment and record
gathered data
6. Tally and share results
19. Sharing Results
• Tally the results. The data will provide you
with an overview of:
– How much waste your school generates
– The composition of the waste
– Where specific materials accumulate in high
volume
• Share the results with faculty, staff,
administration and students
– Wow Presentation
20. What are your next steps?
• Decide on what waste assessment to do
• Plan how you are going to approach the
assessment
– Who, what, where, when
• What results do you expect from the
assessment?
• What materials will we need to conduct the
assessment?
• Assign roles for students: Who will do what?
