"Good sleuthing means starting with the facts."

Ace Green Glass Detective's Waste Audit Procedures

A waste audit is a measurement of the amount of garbage, recycling and compost you produce over a certain amount of time. It is an excellent way to measure how well your recycling programme is working!

How to conduct a waste audit...

	Collect all refuse, recycling and compost generated during the entire course of the audit period (eg. one day, three days, one week...)
	Label each bag as to origin (eg. classroom/garbage; cafeteria/recycling; cafeteria/garbage; etc.)
	Record the mass of each bag on the appropriate form
	Sort each bag according to the categories which were identified prior to the start of the audit (eg. mixed fibre, Old Corrugated Containers, glass, steel and aluminum, compost, drink boxes, milk/juice cartons, etc.)
	Record the mass of each category for each bag.

What you will need to conduct your waste audit... .

- Suitable location for storage and sorting of materials collected (eg. gym, hallway, classroom) - Staff and students: (we suggest 1 student helper/ 100 students for each team; one team per tarp; one supervisor/team) - Labels and clear bags (for collection of materials) - Regular garbage bags (for materials after sorting and weighing) - Tarps (on which to sort the waste) - Gloves (preferably reusable rubber gloves) - Scales - one per tarp (preferably digital) - Daily tally sheets - Broom/Mop (for cleaning up)

After all the waste has been sorted and massed, the data obtained can be used to project the total amount of refuse, recycling and compost generated during the course of the school year. From these figures, it is possible to determine the success rate of waste diversion programs. Where the audit period exceeds one day, it is strongly recommended that the waste be sorted and massed on a daily basis, until the end of the audit period in order to minimize odours. Waste audit results should be used as a basis for your school's Waste Reduction Action Plan which outlines the steps the school intends to take to reduce the amount of waste generated at that site. Currently in Ontario, all schools with more than 350 students must, by law, complete annual waste audits and waste reduction action plans.

The Waste Audit Programme was developed by the Ottawa Carlton School Board.

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