Monitoring your collection program doesn’t need to be overwhelming and complicated. By following several core best practices, the entire process will go smoothly and help you get an accurate snapshot of your recycling and waste program.
Trying to get a grasp on how your recycling program is doing is not without its challenges. From finding the time needed to track your collection program, to recruiting volunteers and keeping data organized and accurate, it can all prove to be an overwhelming and time-consuming venture that many people choose to opt out of.
However, taking control of tracking your recycling and waste program can be an empowering way to ensure its success. To do so, there are several core ‘best practices’ to make certain that the procedure of tracking your collection program is a smooth process for all involved.
Organize a Team/Appoint a Tracking Individual
Before you begin tracking your program, you are going to want to arrange a team or appoint an individual to monitor it over a specified timeframe. The total number of people involved depends on the size of the program being examined, the larger the program, the more people are going to be required to share the workload and ensure that one person is not too overwhelmed.
Conduct a Composition Audit
The goal of a Composition Audit is to get a look at how your current collection program fares and what material can be found in each stream that you are collecting. Yes, that means sorting through bags of recyclables and waste—it is probably going to get smelly and a bit sticky! Gloves, aprons and nose plugs are all items you may want to have on hand for this stage. Some bags might be extremely heavy so ensure that every safety precaution available and required by your organization is taken before you get started. This is a necessary (albeit unglamorous) step that needs to be done in order to to get a proper look at what materials are left and how much contamination is happening within your program.
Conduct a Recycling and Waste Station Audit
The team or individual assigned to the task of tracking your recycling program will need to map out the locations of bin stations around the space being audited. Walk through the building and record the capacities of each station. Once the audit is finished, this information can then be used to determine successful areas and the “needs improvement” areas around your property.
Note that depending on the size and type of your property (commercial versus residential), you may have to adjust your auditing schedule accordingly. For instance, a household may only need to conduct an audit once a day, while offices, stadiums, convention centers and other large properties will likely need to do audits not just every day, but also multiple times a day over the course of two weeks, the minimum recommended timeframe for this stage.
However, chances are that larger properties will have days of the month where the amount and types of waste are constantly in flux, bumping up the amount of time you audit to one month (still checking your stations multiple times a day, every day), which will help give a better overall look at how your collection is doing.
Consult Your Waste Collection Service
Your hauler is going to be an important ally to have when tracking your recycling. A close relationship with them will heighten the chances of your program being successful. After all, they have the latest information on what recyclables can be collected in your area and the cost associated with pickup and disposal. Make sure to keep an open dialogue with your hauler, stay friendly and communicate consistently about any concerns you might have.
Education and Training
Regardless if you are tracking a recycling program at your home or business, educating everyone around the property ensures that material is getting separated correctly. Using posters, sending out e-mails, creating handouts, and having quick meetings regarding your recycling program are a few of the best ways to educate people to ensure the program’s continuous success.
Use Tracking Software
Recycling and waste tracking has made the jump into the digital age. Different software programs have begun to pop up that allows users to input their data and easily track their recycling program with intuitive dashboards and accurate measurements. These provide a fantastic alternative to the old pen and paper way of monitoring a recycling program, keeping all of your information stored digitally in one place.
Monitoring your collection program does not need to be overwhelming and complicated. By following the aforementioned best practices, the entire process will go smoothly and help you get an accurate snapshot of a recycling and waste program.
Busch Systems (Barrie, ON) has been a designer and retailer of recycling, waste and composting containers for more than 30 years and most recently launched the Resource Centre, an innovative collection tracking application. As part of their commitment to the environment, all products are 100 percent recyclable and proudly made in North America. For more information, call (800) 565-9931 or visit www.buschsystems.com.