Environmental Compliance, Waste & Water Management worked example

Waste Segregation Savings at 65% segregation compliance share: a worked example

This worked example runs the waste segregation savings numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 65% segregation compliance share instead of the typical 90%. Estimate waste segregation savings from waste shifted to lower-cost stream, avoided cost difference, applicable share, and fixed environmental fees.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Waste shifted to lower-cost stream: 115 tons (held at the documented default)
  • Avoided cost difference: 96 $ / ton (held at the documented default)
  • Segregation compliance share: 65 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 90)
  • Containers, signage, and training cost: 1,800 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Variable cost = waste shifted to lower-cost stream × avoided cost difference × segregation compliance share.
  • Total waste segregation savings works out to 8,976 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Segregation savings per ton shifted works out to 78.05 $ / ton at these inputs.
  • Variable waste segregation savings works out to 7,176 $ at these inputs.
  • Containers, signage, and training cost works out to 1,800 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where segregation compliance share sits at 90% and the headline result is 11,736 $, this scenario comes in 23.52% below the baseline at 8,976 $.
  • Use it when building the business case for a source-separation program or reviewing whether an existing segregation effort is paying for itself. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total waste segregation savings: 8,976 $ (headline result)
  • Segregation savings per ton shifted: 78.05 $ / ton
  • Variable waste segregation savings: 7,176 $
  • Containers, signage, and training cost: 1,800 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Waste Segregation Savings calculator, set segregation compliance share to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.