Collecting Baseline Data: Conducting a Waste Audit

A waste audit should be completed before setting up any type of waste reduction system, in order to establish a baseline and get a clear picture of what waste can be diverted from landfill. The Conducting a Waste Audit Guide will guide you through planning and carrying out the waste audit.

Conducting a Waste Audit

Although in this project we are focusing on paper and cardboard waste, these audits are a good way of identifying the issues with all types of your waste.

Before the Waste Audit, identify who is to complete the waste audit. Workplace waste audits are ideally completed by volunteers from staff to keep staff aware of their own impacts on waste in the office, and to allow them a chance to suggest ways to reduce waste in the office.

In a waste audit, you need to weigh and record all office waste that goes to landfill. This includes anything collected in the main office rubbish collection, and any separate collections of other waste that is disposed of to landfill.

The Ministry for the Environment provides several waste audit recording templates for recording and evaluating your waste data. Copies of these templates have been provided below.

Office Waste Sorting Instructions

Waste Audit Data Comparison Sheet.xls

Waste Audit Data Sheet.xls

Use the information from the waste audit to determine what sort of waste reduction system you need to develop for your business.

Once you have implemented an improved waste reduction system, follow-up waste audits will allow you to measure and celebrate progress. Sharing this information with staff also helps to build support and participation in the waste reduction system.