A major business solutions organisation engaged EC Sustainable to conduct an audit of the waste and recycling generated at their Sydney head office. The project was a part of their strategy to develop improved waste minimisation strategies and enhance their corporate sustainability program.

The project provided baseline waste performance data to assist the company with their sustainability reporting and guide and inform the implementation of waste management and minimisation strategies.

An initial audit was conducted prior to enhanced staff education and the installation of new recycling infrastructure. A second audit provided the information required to establish the effectiveness of the implemented changes and help estimate the savings generated from the diversion of recoverable resources from landfill.

Positive findings of the strategies implemented include a substantial increase in recycling, a reduction of the waste stream and a substantial reduction in the proportion of contamination in the commingled recycling stream.

The audits also identified a reduction of approximately 4.6 tonnes of waste sent to landfill yearly. An increase in paper recycling was also identified, with 13 kilos of the material being diverted into the recycling stream every day.

EC Sustainable waste audits provide corporations with the information they need to develop and implement their waste reduction policies and strategies.