How to Improve Your Waste Diversion Rate by 40% or More
Increasing your diversion rate does not have to be complicated. These practical steps can dramatically reduce what goes to landfill.
What Is a Diversion Rate?
Your diversion rate is the percentage of waste your business generates that is recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted from landfill. The national commercial average is only about 35%, meaning most businesses are sending nearly two-thirds of their waste to landfill.
Step 1: Know Your Baseline
You cannot improve what you do not measure. Conduct a waste audit to understand the composition of your waste stream. Most businesses are surprised to find that 50-70% of their "trash" is actually recyclable.
Step 2: Source Separation
The easiest win is separating cardboard and metals from your general waste stream. These materials have commodity value and should never go to landfill.
Step 3: Right-Size Your Containers
Many businesses overpay for trash service because their containers are too large or picked up too frequently, while recyclable materials go uncollected.
Step 4: Employee Education
The number one reason recycling programs fail is contamination from employees who do not know what goes where. Simple signage and training make a huge difference.
Step 5: Partner with the Right Provider
A waste management partner who prioritizes diversion will proactively help you identify new materials to capture and will provide transparent reporting on your diversion metrics.
The Bottom Line
Improving your diversion rate saves money (disposal is more expensive than recycling), reduces your environmental impact, and can support sustainability certifications and reporting requirements.