![[Solid Waste Resource Renewal Group]](http://njaes.rutgers.edu/_common/images/subheads/swrrg.gif "[Solid Waste Resource Renewal Group]"){kind=small}
WASTE AUDITS
The basic purpose of a waste audit is to go through the various materials being discarded and/or recycled by a generator to determine both what materials could be recycled or recycled better and also how the system needs to be restructured in order for the generator to achieve the lowest costs for all of its recycling and waste streams. Whether a generator seeks to add one new material or many to its recycling, the generator must evaluate its entire waste system for efficiency and cost effectiveness. These aims cannot be achieved simply by adding new recycling bins and source separating the material(s) in question.
In conducting a waste audit, a generator or an entity hired by the generator examines the generator's waste stream over a specified period of time, and also does walk-throughs and interviews to determine systemic constraints or other systemic features, and examines costs for each material, including hauling and per ton costs. The generator needs comprehensive data on what changes are possible and how those changes impact labor, materials recovery and cost. A generator's waste costs are a combination of 1) the per ton cost for the commodity being disposed or recycled, 2) the costs charged for transportation and hauling of the commodity, 3) any fuel surcharges (increasingly prevalent), 4) the costs of acquiring and maintaining containers, and 5) the costs of preventing contamination in any level which would occasion rejection of a load, and additional charges. The last includes the costs of signage and training, as well as costs of bio-compostable liners or tableware which will guarantee acceptability of the food waste/organic material at the receiving facility.
SWRRG has conducted waste audits of varying scopes at schools and businesses across the state. It is now offering several cost effective levels for waste audits. [link]
Generators can perform their own waste audits, with the assistance of waste audit work sheets. Additional valuable resources for assessing waste systems are found in the Resource Management Contracting Manual, developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
OTHER SWRRG SERVICES
Over its more than a decade of service to the State of New Jersey and to the region, SWRRG has presented a variety of outreach and training events. Many of these have and will continue to be provided free of charge to participants.
We are beginning to offer a series of focused training sessions, with cost effective per participant fees. Please let us know of any topics which you would like to see in such training sessions.
