Ecology & Environment

Landfill Diversion Calculator

Calculate recycling, composting, reuse, gross and net diversion, landfill tonnage, diversion rate, and uncaptured or rejected recoverable material.

Potentially recyclable waste (t)Recycling capture rate (%)Potentially compostable organics (t)Organics capture rate (%)Potentially reusable material (t)Reuse capture rate (%)Inherently residual waste (t)Rejected or contaminated diverted material (t)

Total generated material (t)-

Captured recycling (t)-

Captured organics (t)-

Captured reuse (t)-

Gross captured diversion (t)-

Net diversion after contamination (t)-

Generated material sent to landfill (t)-

Net diversion rate-

Potential diversion not captured or rejected (t)-

Decision view

Waste generation and diversion composition

Waste generation and diversion compositionAccepted recovery, contamination, uncaptured potential, and residual material reconcile to total generation.

Exact scenario comparisonOrganics capture rate (%) changes while all other entered assumptions remain constant.

Organics capture rate (%)	Total generated material (t)	Captured recycling (t)	Captured organics (t)	Captured reuse (t)	Gross captured diversion (t)	Net diversion after contamination (t)	Generated material sent to landfill (t)	Net diversion rate	Potential diversion not captured or rejected (t)

How to use Landfill Diversion Calculator

Enter potentially recoverable tonnage by stream.
Enter the capture rate for recycling, organics, and reuse.
Enter residual waste and rejected contamination.
Confirm that the composition closes to total generated material.

Calculator guide

Understanding Landfill Diversion Calculator

Diversion performance depends on both the material available for recovery and the capture rate of each stream. This calculator subtracts rejected contamination after gross capture and reconciles net diversion plus landfill tonnage to total generation.

Streams differ Each capture rate acts on its own potential.

Reject contamination Gross collection is not net diversion.

Close the balance Net diversion plus landfill equals generation.

Keep denominator complete Residual waste remains in total generation.

Calculation method

How the calculation works

Apply separate capture rates to recyclable, organic, and reusable streams, subtract entered contamination, and reconcile net diversion with landfill tonnage. Apply a separate capture fraction to recyclable, organic, and reusable material, subtract contamination, and divide net diverted tonnage by total generated tonnage.

Detailed calculation process

Reconcile generated material into net diversion and landfill

The defaults generate 300 t across four material streams, then apply 75%, 60%, and 80% capture rates and reject 8 t as contamination.

General formula: G = W_r+W_o+W_u+W_x; D_g = c_rW_r+c_oW_o+c_uW_u; D_n = max(D_g-C,0); L = G-D_n; r = 100D_n/G Each potentially recoverable stream has its own capture rate. Contamination is removed from gross diversion, and the remaining net diversion plus landfill must equal all generated material.

What each symbol means

W_r, W_o, W_u Potential recyclable, organic, and reusable material (t).

W_x Inherently residual material (t).

c_r, c_o, c_u Stream capture rates as decimal fractions (unitless).

C Rejected or contaminated captured material (t).

D_g, D_n Gross captured and net accepted diversion (t).

G, L, r Total generation (t), landfilled material (t), and net diversion rate (%).

Worked substitution with the default inputs

1. Total all generated material: G = 120 + 90 + 25 + 65 = 300.000 t Residual material remains part of the denominator.

2. Apply stream capture rates: Recycling = 120*0.75 = 90 t; organics = 90*0.60 = 54 t; reuse = 25*0.80 = 20 t The three streams are calculated independently.

3. Find gross and net diversion: D_g = 90 + 54 + 20 = 164 t; D_n = max(164 - 8,0) = 156 t Rejected contamination returns to the disposal side of the balance.

4. Reconcile landfill tonnage: L = 300 - 156 = 144 t; check: 156 + 144 = 300 t The composition bar must close exactly to total generation.

5. Calculate the diversion rate and loss: r = 100*156/300 = 52.000%; capture loss = (120+90+25)-156 = 79 t Capture loss includes uncollected recoverable material and contamination.

The default case diverts 156 t net, sends 144 t to landfill, and achieves a 52.0% net diversion rate with 79 t of recoverable potential not accepted.

Material composition

See accepted diversion and landfill close to 100%

A stacked material bar separates accepted recycling, composting, reuse, contamination, uncaptured potential, and inherent residuals.

Captured streams Three recovery programs retain distinct contributions.

Contamination Rejected tonnes are visibly removed.

Uncaptured potential Available material missed by collection.

Landfill total All non-diverted material is reconciled.

Worked situations

Practical examples

Gross captured diversion is 164 t.
Eight tonnes of contamination reduce net diversion to 156 t.
Net diversion and landfill each account for 52% and 48% of 300 t.

Better inputs

Useful tips

Use consistent weighing boundaries and reporting periods.
Record where rejected contamination is ultimately disposed.
Keep energy recovery separate unless the reporting protocol explicitly counts it.

Before relying on the result

Limitations and common mistakes

The model does not adjust moisture, density, or scale-ticket error.
Market acceptance, stockpiling, exported waste, hazardous streams, and regulatory definitions can change reported diversion.
Certification claims require the governing protocol and auditable records.

Reference

Key terms

Gross diversion: Material captured before contamination rejection.
Net diversion: Accepted recovered material after rejection.
Capture loss: Potential recoverable tonnage not present in net diversion.

Important note

Calculated from the entered environmental values using the displayed model. Measurement quality, local conditions, system boundaries, and source data affect interpretation.

Frequently asked questions

Why is contamination subtracted after capture?

It was collected as diversion but was not accepted as recovered output.

Does residual waste reduce capture rates?

No. It increases total generation and landfill but is not part of a recoverable stream.

Can the diversion rate exceed 100%?

Not with valid nonnegative inputs and contamination no greater than gross diversion.

Why show capture loss?

It identifies improvement potential that the headline diversion rate hides.