Golf Environment Organization

A waste audit is a formal, structured process used to quantify the amount and types of waste being generated by an organisation.

Information from audits will help identify current waste practices and how they can be improved.

There are a number of different ways to conduct a waste audit, such as visual waste audits, waste characterisation, desktop audits and others. The type of audit you use depends on the type of waste, where it is and what you want to get out of the audit. Audits can be done on any type of waste e.g. paper and office waste, municipal waste, commercial and industrial waste, construction and demolition waste etc.The audit's objectives will largely determine the waste types and physical locations to be audited.

A waste audit provides you with an idea of where your golf facility is NOW in waste management practices. By looking at a sample of waste, the overall waste composition of your operation can be estimated. The waste audit will tell you not only the type, quantity, or origin of waste produced, but also the management policies and procedures that affect waste generation in your facility. It helps to identify wasteful practices and create potential opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and lower costs.

Waste audits are carefully planned and the safety of people conducting the audit is paramount.  Sorting is done in ventilated areas and is carefully controlled. Sorters undertake safety training and use protective equipment such as tongs, gloves, masks and overalls. Waste is never handled with bare hands.

Conducting a Waste Audit - The Process

Step 1: History Lesson

Get an idea of the current waste generated at your facility. Review the golf facility's waste record for the past 12 months to determine:

1. How much waste was produced?  
2. How often is the waste collected?  
3. What happens to the waste after it leaves the site?
4. What has been done so far to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste?

Step 2: Take a Look Around

The audit will look at the type and amount of waste generated in each area of the facility. A building tour will tell you where your waste is produced and some of the reasons why. The tour may identify:

1. Places that generate a lot, a little, and average amounts of waste
2. Places of recycling activity
3. Custodial routines - who is actually, on a day to day basis, taking responsibility for waste separation and disposal.

Step 3: Making Plans

Based on the information gained in the site tour, the depth and structure of the audit can be determined. The amount of waste you generate, the types of waste and the period of time over which it is collected has a drastic effect on the accuracy of the full audit findings. No two weeks of a golf facility's operation are exactly alike, so it is important to select an audit sample which captures as many functions as possible. When planning the actual audit you should consider:

1. Where are the key wastes produced?
2. Where will you do your sampling?
3. How much waste will be sampled?
4. When will the sampling take place?
5. Who will conduct the audit?
6. What equipment and space will be needed?

Step 4: Getting Down and Dirty

During the "hands on" stage of the audit, waste is sorted by hand to determine its composition. It is very important to carefully label all materials at this point to determine their source. This is also an excellent time to collect additional information about common contaminants or specific packaging which can be reduced. In this hands-on stage you will:

1. Gather all waste and recyclables designed for weighing
2. Label and weigh all bags
3. Hand-sort materials and place them into individual waste-stream categories
4. Note contaminants in any recyclable streams (ie. paper in the metal can recycling bin and vice versa)
5. Record findings and any observations

Step 5: What Does It All Mean?

After the raw data is compiled, you can accurately determine:

1. How much waste is generated by your facility per year?
2. The composition of that waste (in weight and percentages)
3. What proportion / percentage of material is diverted through reduction, reuse and recyclng activities?
4. How and why the waste is generated.

Where to Now?

The waste audit provides you with a valuable tool to get to work reducing waste in your business. Look at your results and see which areas need the most work. How can your facility's handling and sorting practices be improved? What new waste reduction programs are necessary? Is additional education for staff and members necessary to reduce waste? How can the staff continue to be involved? Ask staff for their suggestions on how to reduce waste and encourage them to participate.

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