Recycling Rate Calculator

This calculator builds your diversion rate from the ground up rather than asking for a single percentage: it sums paper, plastics, metals, glass, compost, and other diverted materials into a total diverted figure, divides by total waste generated, and multiplies by 100. Whatever isn't diverted is assumed landfilled, so the two figures always add back to your total waste input. That diversion rate then drives a performance rating — Excellent at 75%+ (the common zero-waste benchmark), Good at 50%+, Average at 35%+, and Below Average or Poor beneath that — letting you benchmark a program against typical municipal and corporate targets at a glance. Beyond the percentage, the tool estimates real economic value using average commodity prices per ton (paper $65, plastics $200, metals $150, glass $15) plus landfill tipping-fee savings at a $55/ton average — money you avoid paying to dispose of what you diverted instead.

Environmental impact draws on EPA WARM model averages for CO2e avoided per ton recycled, which differ substantially by material: metals avoid the most emissions per ton (4.2), followed by paper (3.1), with glass and compost avoiding comparatively little. Keep in mind these are national averages, not your local market: actual recyclables revenue depends heavily on regional buyer contracts and commodity price swings, and your local tipping fee may be well above or below $55/ton. Use this to spot which material stream offers the biggest opportunity — often plastics or metals by revenue per ton — rather than as a precise invoice.