Planning a Waste Audit: Learn, Connect, and Take Action!

When you hear the words Waste Audit, what comes to mind? Maybe someone hunched over a calculator, surrounded by trash bags and paperwork? Not exactly thrilling. You may not think of being outside on a sunny afternoon, playing music, team building, and sifting through kiddie pools of recyclables. Waste audits can be a fun and hands-on way to learn more about how we dispose of our waste, which is why some groups prefer an alternative title: Trash on the Lawn Day.

Trash on the Lawn Days (TOLDs) provide a snapshot of what a school, business, or organization throws away and transform that information into meaningful data. This data can be shared with customers or used to guide future decisions. By analyzing a single day’s worth of waste, organizations can determine how much they are generating, assess sorting effectiveness, and identify opportunities for improvement. Hosting a TOLD is also a valuable exercise for engaging teams in discussions about their environmental impact at work and fostering deeper conversations about office sustainability policies.

Many local businesses and institutions, from City Market to the VT Army National Guard, have used waste audits to build their circular economy strategy and reduce what gets sent to the landfill each day. If you are considering a waste audit for your business, here are some things to consider early on:

Goals: The first step is to figure out what you are looking to achieve. Are you checking progress on a sustainability goal or just establishing a baseline? Do you want lots of hard data or are you just trying to create a fun learning experience for your team? Waste audits can be as technical or as casual as you want, depending on what is important to you.

Waste Collection: To prepare for a waste audit, you will need to collect anywhere from one to three days’ worth of trash, recycling, and food scraps. While a single day’s waste is most common, smaller offices may want more for a good sample.

Timing and Location: Waste audits are typically done outside, unless there is a large enough indoor space. If possible, pick a warmer month and set up in an area sheltered from wind, sun, and rain. For the best results, collect waste during a normal week, without any major holidays or events, and plan on sorting everything soon after to avoid smell or pests.

Who is involved: Ideally, only volunteers and maintenance staff will know about a waste audit advance. To avoid employees changing their habits just before sorting, try to keep the organizing group small, even if you plan to involve the whole team on the day of the actual sort. TOLDs can be organized by any enthusiastic group of volunteers, but you can also get outside help for the best sorting experience. CSWD’s Business Outreach Coordinator can help lead a waste sort for free and will provide a personalized report with recommendations.

Sort Safely: Before the sort take a minute to make sure everyone understands recycling and food waste guidelines. You can download copies of our informational resources or ask a member of the CSWD outreach team for assistance, as well as how to sort safely. Volunteers should wear gloves and coveralls or clothes that are OK to get dirty. Never reach directly into a waste bag with your hands, even while wearing protective clothing. Instead, work through one waste category at a time, dumping each bag and bin onto a tarp before sorting.

Have fun! Don’t forget, that TOLDs can be a great way to connect as a team and learn together. Turn up the music, take pictures, and make the sorting station a judgment free zone. To learn more about waste audits for your organization email outreach@cswd.net.