Verifying your current waste process and measuring your actual waste amount is important to know your first priorities.

When conducting a waste audit, you need to follow this process:

1. Identify all waste generation points (rooms, machinery, working station where discards are generated)

2. For each waste generation points:

• identify the waste streams: determine the type of waste materials
• qualify: determine the level of contamination of the discard
• quantify each waste streams: estimate the quantity of discards generated per day/week/year

3. For each waste streams, look for upstream and downstream opportunities.

• upstream opportunities: minimize waste or redesign the product to facilitate the reuse or recycling downstream
• downstream opportunities: find ways to reuse or recycle the discards

Separately, assess:

• waste management practices: the metering and monitoring protocoles in place to manage waste and your different waste contractors
• infrastructures: the bins/compactors/signage adapted to the working environment (convenience, safety…) and the operating procedures for the segregation, collecting and transportation of the different waste streams.
• the annual cost of waste collection.

Consider hiring a competent consultant to conduct a waste audit.