Recycling Diversion Calculator
Turn material weights into a recycling diversion rate.
What it does
Diversion rate turns good intentions into one number. Every pound recycled instead of landfilled lifts it; every pound trashed drags it down. Cities track it, haulers quote it, and households can move it with a scale and a week of honesty.
The tool above computes it both ways. Enter five recycled streams plus trash in pounds or kilograms to get the rate with both totals. Defaults describe a sorting household at 38 recycled against 60 trashed, so the page opens solved at 38.8%.
The metric mirror lands identically: 17.2 kg recycled from 44.5 kg total gives the same 38.8%. Weight rules here, not volume, which is why dense glass and metal punch above their visual share while bulky film barely registers. Contamination is the silent tax: dirty loads get rejected and count as trash downstream.
Practice runs show the effect clearly. Doubling trash to 120 lb while recycling holds steady sinks the rate to 24.1%; cutting trash is the fastest lever most homes own. A paper only week at 10 against 90 trash reads 10.0%, honest about how single stream weeks really look.
Use the table for what typical shares mean, then run your weeks. The page trusts your weights and your hauler accepted list; wishcycled batteries, bags, and food soiled boxes do not belong in these streams. Within range it answers the household question fast: what share stayed out of the landfill.
How to use
- Pick imperial or metric.
- Weigh the five recycled streams.
- Weigh the trash stream.
- Read the diversion rate first.
- Read recycled and landfill weights.
- Rerun lighter trash weeks to compare.
Formula
- Paper
- Paper weight.
- Cardboard
- Cardboard weight.
- Plastic
- Plastic weight.
- Glass
- Glass weight.
- Metal
- Metal weight.
- Trash
- Landfill bound remainder.
Recycled sums the five accepted streams and trash covers the rest, all in one unit system per run. At least one weight must be positive. Contamination, banned items, and hauler specific rules sit outside the math; only accepted clean weight should enter.
Worked example
Example: weekly household sorting
A week brings 8 lb paper, 12 cardboard, 5 plastic, 10 glass, 3 metal, and 60 trash. Find the diversion rate.
- Recycled = 8 + 12 + 5 + 10 + 3 = 38 lb.
- Total = 38 + 60 = 98 lb.
- Rate = 38 / 98 x 100 = 38.8 %.
- Landfill holds the other 60 lb.
- Doubling trash to 120 lb drops the rate to 24.1 %.
- Metric mirror gives the same 38.8 %.
Reference table
| Rate | Meaning | Typical of |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 % | Low sorting | Trash heavy weeks |
| 15 to 30 % | Getting started | Casual recyclers |
| 30 to 50 % | Solid sorting | Example household at 38.8 % |
| Over 50 % | Strong diversion | Low trash plus composting |
Limits
- Accepted clean weight only assumed.
- No contamination modeling.
- Hauler rules vary by town.
- One period snapshot, not a trend.
Common mistakes
- Counting volume instead of weight.
- Wishcycling banned items.
- Weighing a cleanout week as normal.
- Mixing kg with lb in one run.
- Reading one week as a trend.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Same recycling with 120 lb of trash?
Rate 24.1 %. Recycled 38 lb. Landfill 120 lb.
Paper only: 10 lb paper with 90 lb trash?
Rate 10.0 %. Recycled 10 lb. Landfill 90 lb.
5, 5, 2, 8, 1 with 40 trash? Work it by hand.
Recycled = 5 + 5 + 2 + 8 + 1 = 21. Total = 21 + 40 = 61. Rate = 34.4 %.
Questions
What is the diversion rate?
Recycled weight divided by total waste times 100. The example diverts 38 of 98 lb, about 38.8%.
Which materials count?
Paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and metal the hauler accepts. Food scraps count where composting runs; this page keeps five streams plus trash.
Does it work in kilograms?
Yes. Pick metric: 3.63, 5.44, 2.27, 4.54, 1.36 and 27.22 kg give the same 38.8%.
Does it check contamination?
No. Contamination, local rules, and moisture all move real diversion; the page trusts your scale and your hauler list.
How do I weigh waste?
Weigh a normal week, not a cleanout week, and average two or three weeks for noisy households.
How do I raise the rate?
Cut trash first: the same 38 lb recycled hits 24.1% against 120 lb of trash but 38.8% against 60.