Business Waste Characterization

Knowing what materials different types of businesses typically dispose can help them reduce waste, recycle more, and save money. This information is usually collected by examining waste discarded by individual businesses (a.k.a. "dumpster sorting"). This data can be expensive and time-consuming to collect.

If we assume that similar businesses have similar waste streams, we can use waste data collected from one business, say a bank, to estimate what's in the waste stream of another bank. But businesses vary in size and operations. It would be better (more representative) to look at several banks to develop a typical waste profile or composition for banks. This is how the waste compositions in this database were developed. The solid waste characterization database makes information from these studies, and from other sources, available to many users.

Although we make the assumption that bank operations are similar statewide, this may not be the case. This is one of the several limitations of the data.

Along with waste composition data, we also developed information on the amount of waste different types of businesses typically dispose. Since there are many kinds of businesses, we used federal standard industrial codes (SIC) to group similar businesses together. We used the 83 major groups (2-digit codes) and grouped them into 39 business groupings.

Once we know typical waste amounts and typical composition for a business grouping, we can combine that with information on the types and numbers of businesses in a particular jurisdiction to estimate the qualities of a local business waste stream.

Business waste composition data and business disposal amounts can be used separately from the database by combining it with your local business information. Please be aware of the data limitations before you proceed.

Related links:

Last updated: April 18, 2013

Solid Waste Characterization, http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/WasteChar/
Nancy Carr: Nancy.Carr@calrecycle.ca.gov (916) 341-6216