Services, Education & Behaviour Change
How to Run a Business Waste Audit
Updated 2026-07-04 · 5 min read
You can't improve what you don't measure. A waste audit shows exactly what your business throws away, what it costs, and where the circular opportunities are.
The five-step audit
- 1. Pick a representative period (e.g. one typical week)
- 2. Separate and weigh waste by type (paper, plastic, organics, general)
- 3. Record volumes, costs and where each stream goes
- 4. Identify the biggest and most costly streams
- 5. Match each to a reduction, reuse or recycling action
Turn findings into action
- Set up separation-at-source bins
- Find recyclers for your top streams
- Redesign packaging or ordering to cut waste
- Train staff — behaviour is half the battle
Get help
The Services, Education & Behaviour Change stream lists auditors, consultants and trainers who can run this for you and set up ongoing measurement.
Frequently asked questions
How often should we audit waste?
Do a full audit at least once a year, and a quick check whenever operations change. Ongoing measurement (weights and costs) keeps improvements on track.
What's the quickest win from an audit?
Usually separating recyclables and organics from general waste — it cuts landfill volumes and costs immediately and reveals what's worth recycling.