How do you calculate landfill diversion rate?

Divide the tons diverted from landfill by total tons of waste generated, then multiply by 100. With 680 diverted tons out of 850 total, that is 680 ÷ 850 × 100 = 80%.

What is a good landfill diversion rate?

50-70% is typical for an active program; 90%+ is the threshold for zero-waste (TRUE) certification. At 80% you are strong but, as the 10-point gap shows, still short of a 90% target.

What counts as diverted waste?

Material recycled, composted, reused, anaerobically digested, or sent to waste-to-energy. Anything landfilled or incinerated without energy recovery does not count toward the diverted tons.

Does waste-to-energy count as diversion?

It depends on the standard. Many corporate programs count it, but strict zero-waste frameworks like TRUE cap or exclude it, which can drop your reported rate even when tonnage to landfill is low.

How is diversion rate different from recycling rate?

Recycling rate counts only material recycled or composted; diversion rate is broader and includes reuse and energy recovery. Diversion is usually the higher of the two figures.

Why is my diversion rate dropping?

Common causes are contaminated recycling loads being rejected to landfill, a new waste stream with no recovery path, or more accurate weighing of trash that was previously underreported.

Environmental Compliance, Waste & Water Management calculator

Environmental Landfill Diversion Rate Calculator

Landfill diversion rate is the share of total facility waste that is recycled, composted, reused, or sent to waste-to-energy instead of being buried in a landfill. Environmental and sustainability managers track it as the headline number for zero-waste programs, TRUE certification, and corporate ESG reporting. It matters because diversion directly cuts tipping fees, lowers Scope 3 emissions, and is often a contractual or customer-audit requirement for OEM suppliers. A single percentage tells you instantly how close a plant is to its diversion commitment and where the recovery opportunity still sits.

What this calculator does

Calculate environmental landfill diversion rate from waste diverted from landfill, total waste generated, and a target percentage.
an environmental manager needs to track environmental landfill diversion rate against a target
It computes the percentage of total generated waste that is kept out of landfill and the point gap between that rate and your diversion target.

Formula used

Environmental Landfill Diversion Rate = waste diverted from landfill ÷ total waste generated × 100
Gap to target = diversion target - environmental landfill diversion rate

Inputs explained

Waste diverted from landfill:
Total waste generated:
Diversion target:

How to use the result

Use it monthly or quarterly when closing out waste manifests and reporting diversion to corporate sustainability, a certification body, or a customer scorecard.
It treats all diverted tons as equal, so it does not distinguish high-value recycling from lower-tier waste-to-energy, and it is only as accurate as the weight tickets feeding it.

Common questions

How do you calculate landfill diversion rate? Divide the tons diverted from landfill by total tons of waste generated, then multiply by 100. With 680 diverted tons out of 850 total, that is 680 ÷ 850 × 100 = 80%.
What is a good landfill diversion rate? 50-70% is typical for an active program; 90%+ is the threshold for zero-waste (TRUE) certification. At 80% you are strong but, as the 10-point gap shows, still short of a 90% target.
What counts as diverted waste? Material recycled, composted, reused, anaerobically digested, or sent to waste-to-energy. Anything landfilled or incinerated without energy recovery does not count toward the diverted tons.
Does waste-to-energy count as diversion? It depends on the standard. Many corporate programs count it, but strict zero-waste frameworks like TRUE cap or exclude it, which can drop your reported rate even when tonnage to landfill is low.
How is diversion rate different from recycling rate? Recycling rate counts only material recycled or composted; diversion rate is broader and includes reuse and energy recovery. Diversion is usually the higher of the two figures.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.