Energy & Sustainability worked example

Waste Reduction Savings at 65% realized capture rate: a worked example

Suppose realized capture rate falls to 65%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Estimate savings from reduced waste volume, avoided disposal cost, capture share, and implementation cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Landfill tonnage diverted: 140 tons (held at the documented default)
  • Disposal and handling cost avoided: 185 $ / ton (held at the documented default)
  • Realized capture rate: 65 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 90)
  • Program setup and sorting cost: 3,500 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Avoided waste cost = waste volume avoided × avoided waste cost rate × savings capture rate.
  • Net waste reduction savings works out to 20,335 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Savings per avoided ton works out to 145 $ / ton at these inputs.
  • Avoided waste disposal and handling cost works out to 16,835 $ at these inputs.
  • Implementation or sorting cost works out to 3,500 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where realized capture rate sits at 90% and the headline result is 26,810 $, this scenario comes in 24.15% below the baseline at 20,335 $.
  • It multiplies tons diverted by the per-ton disposal cost avoided and a realized capture rate, then adds the program's sorting or setup cost to report net savings. When the numbers land here, the stressed input is the lever to work; the walkthrough above shows exactly how much each output recovers as it climbs back toward the baseline.

Results at a glance

  • Net waste reduction savings: 20,335 $ (headline result)
  • Savings per avoided ton: 145 $ / ton
  • Avoided waste disposal and handling cost: 16,835 $
  • Implementation or sorting cost: 3,500 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Waste Reduction Savings calculator, set realized capture rate to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.