Seeing our world fill up with landfills and plastic waste, I felt compelled to reduce my trash and contribute as little as possible to our global waste problem.

The 2020 pandemic was a turning point for many, including me. As we stayed home, nature began to revive. The air became cleaner, and wildlife returned to our urban spaces. During this time, I learned about climate change and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Initially, I felt overwhelmed and alone with my climate anxiety, consuming every documentary I could find on climate change, landfills, and plastic pollution. Instead of succumbing to despair, I decided to take action and change my lifestyle habits to take personal responsibility for my impact on the environment.

Keep Going!

I slowly transitioned to minimalism and the zero-waste lifestyle. Along this journey, I’ve encountered criticism and scepticism: “What you’re doing doesn’t matter; it won’t make a difference,” “This is a waste of time,” “Only the government can fix this,” “Nobody has time for these things,” “We can just burn it!” and “But, I recycle everything!”

Despite these negative comments, I also found support and inspiration from others who appreciated and were inspired by my efforts. These changemakers and my willingness to do something motivated me to build a community of like-minded individuals and ignore the naysayers.

Now, I want to share my journey with you—how I started, my mistakes, and the valuable lessons I learned that made a significant difference.

Conducting a trash audit serves as a foundational step towards understanding our waste generation patterns, pinpointing areas for improvement, and applying strategies for effective waste management. This article delves into the intricacies of conducting a trash audit and emphasises the significance of waste segregation at the source.

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WHY DO THE TRASH AUDIT?

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RECYCLING IS NOT THE SOLUTION

It is a wonderful practice, but it’s not the solution to our waste problem. Recycling should only come into play after you’ve used an item you own to its fullest potential.

If you’re using recycling as a way to assuage your guilt about bringing more and more plastic into your daily life, then recycling becomes a distraction rather than a solution.

Consider this: we discard over a billion pounds of stuff every day. Even if all of it were recyclable, the process would still consume enormous amounts of energy, fuel, water, transportation, and labour. Instead of viewing recycling as the almighty answer, we should recognize it as the last resort.

The focus should be on rejecting, reducing and reusing first. By minimizing our consumption and making more sustainable choices, we can significantly cut down on the waste we generate in the first place.

Let’s prioritize these steps to make a more significant impact on our habits.

Different materials have varying levels of recyclability. For example, stainless steel can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality, making it a highly sustainable material.

Glass also retains its quality through repeated recycling. On the other hand, plastic typically can only be recycled a few times before it degrades and can no longer be used for new products.

Paper can be recycled around 5-7 times before its fibres become too short to be reused.

This variability underscores the importance of prioritizing reduction and reuse over recycling. Also, choosing products that tick quality over quantity and Infinite recyclability without degrading each time it get recycled. And even if it degrades, it can be pit composted at its end life.

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CATEGORIES OF WASTE SEGREGATION

DRY WASTE

Recyclable Waste

GLASS

• Recyclability: Single-layered glass can be upcycled or recycled an infinite number of times.
• Sources: Glass bottles, glass bowls and plates, etc.
• Disposal: Broken glass if not recycled, may kill wildlife and harm people working in waste management who are handling our waste.
• End Life: To return to nature, it has to be processed back to sand which is not accessible right now.

METALS

(All types of metals can be recycled an infinite no. of times) Here are a few examples below:

• Aluminium – It is obtained industrially by mining bauxite, a sedimentary rock rich in aluminium minerals.
  • Recyclability: It can be recycled indefinitely without losing its properties. Recycling aluminium saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce new aluminium from raw ore.
  • Sources: Include beverage cans, foil, packaging, automotive parts, and construction materials.
  • Disposal: If not recycled, aluminium releases heavy metals into water, causes acid rain, and harms sea life. High levels occur near mining sites and landfills, usually washed out by rain or settling, but small particles stay in the air.
  • End Life: NOT-COMPOSTABLE. Even the biodegradation of aluminium is extremely rare; most soil organisms do not attack or consume aluminium; instead, they produce corrosive wastes that pollute our soil, water, and air.
• Steel
  • Recyclability: It can also be recycled indefinitely. The process of recycling steel uses about 74% less energy than producing it from raw materials.
  • Sources: It can be found in appliances, vehicles, construction materials, tools, and food cans.
• Copper
  • Recyclability: Copper retains its quality when recycled and can be recycled repeatedly. Recycling copper saves up to 85% of the energy compared to primary production.
  • Sources: Copper is commonly recycled from electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, electronics, and industrial machinery.

PAPER

• Recyclability – Paper can typically be recycled 5-7 times. Remove any plastic tape from the cardboard packaging or paper and create bundles to be picked up by rag pickers. Or upcycle it and make DIY handmade Paper.
• Sources: Newspapers, unglazed paper, notebooks, etc.
• End Life: Paper is 100% compostable when it is returned to the soil.

PLASTIC

• Recyclability: Plastics are categorized by resin identification codes (RIC), no 1 to 7 on plastic products. These codes help identify the type of plastic and its recyclability. You must check with your local recycling facility to which numbers they accept to recycle. Properly sorted and clean plastics are processed and recycled into new products. But, most plastics can be recycled once or thrice maximum. Also, only 9% of all the plastic produced is sent for recycling.
• End Life: Non-compostable. Releases microplastics in water, air and our food.
• Disposal in Landfills: Many plastics, especially those that are difficult to recycle or contaminated, end up in landfills where they can take hundreds of years to decompose.
• Disposal by Incineration: Some plastics are incinerated, which releases toxic emissions unless controlled properly.
• Disposal in Oceans and Natural Environments: Mismanaged plastic waste often ends up in waterways, contributing to ocean pollution and choking marine life.

TEXTILE WASTE

• Recyclability: Natural fibres are generally more recyclable and can be repurposed into new fabrics or other products. Synthetic fibres, while also recyclable, often result in lower-quality materials and release microplastics during the recycling process. Old fabric waste can be recycled into other products, such as insulation, carpeting, mattress filling, industrial rags or redesigning old sarees into a brand new dress, extending their usability and reducing waste.
• Sources: post-consumer waste (discarded clothing and household textiles), pre-consumer waste (manufacturing scraps and offcuts), and industrial waste (textile processing byproducts).
• End Life: 100% natural fabrics like cotton, jute, hemp, linen, etc. decompose while synthetic or mixed fabrics create microplastics and pollute.

Also Read: Sustainable-fabrics-for-your-home-say-no-to-micro-plastic-sheds

ELECTRONIC WASTE

Can be handed over or sold to E-Waste recyclers.

• Recyclability: It contains valuable metals like gold, silver, and copper. Some Plastics or glass are also recyclable for a few times.
• End Life: After the extraction of recyclable material, other Non-recyclable parts or hazardous waste mostly end up in landfills or incinerated.

Non- Recyclable Waste

Multi-Layer Plastic packaging

• What It Is: Packaging made of multiple layers of different materials fused together (e.g., aluminium, plastic, paper).
• Harms: Recycling this type of packaging is difficult because separating the layers is nearly impossible, leading most of it to end up in landfills.
• Examples: Chip bags, juice pouches, and most food packaging with shiny layers inside.
  • What to do with it instead? – Some small companies like “Recharkha” are upcycling plastic waste and turning it into bags and other products. But, in my opinion, products are of low quality and release micro-plastics and we should not promote this if we have better natural options like canvas bags. We can reuse the plastic waste in a place where no alternative is available like making plastic roads. Or make eco-bricks (only if you know how to make them properly).

Plastic-Lined Cardboard/Paper

• What It Is: Cardboard or paper coated with a thin layer of plastic to provide water resistance or durability.
• Harms: The plastic layer makes it challenging to recycle through conventional paper recycling processes and it is even worse than single-layer plastic which can be easily recycled.
• Examples: Takeout coffee cups, frozen food boxes, disposable plastic lined paper packaging and disposables, etc.

Plastic single-use utensils

• Examples: Disposable forks, straws, knives, and spoons
• Why: too small to process and often contaminates recycling streams

Styrofoam (Polystyrene Foam)

• What It Is: Lightweight, expanded polystyrene used for insulation and packaging.
• Harms: Difficult to recycle due to contamination and low market value; breaks into small pieces, contributing to marine pollution.
• Examples: Disposable coffee cups, packaging peanuts, takeout containers.

Tiny Plastic Pieces

• What It Is: Tiny plastic or plastic pieces separated from packets which no rag picker picks up for recycling as it will not contribute too much weight for rag pickers to sell.
• Harms: Non-recyclable and often end up in the ocean, harming marine life.
• Examples: Plastic Straws, micro-plastic, plastic confetti, etc.
• How to Manage: Make Eco-bricks out of it, only if you know how to make it properly.

Plastic Bags

(Normal and cloth-look-alike)

• What It Is: They look like cloth and are being promoted as eco-friendly, but in reality, it is plastic.
• Harms: Can clog machinery in recycling facilities; often end up as litter, harming wildlife. These are even worse than normal plastic bags because they can not be recycled and create micro-plastics in it’s end life.

Diapers and Sanitary Products

• What It Is: Absorbent products used for personal hygiene.
• Harms: Contain a mix of plastics, fibres, and absorbent gels that are non-recyclable; pose a significant landfill burden.
• Examples: Disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons and more.

Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics

(Under Certain Conditions)

• What It Is: A widely used term that companies use to greenwash consumers. These are plastics designed to break down under specific conditions not found in regular recycling or composting facilities.
• Harms: Contaminate conventional plastic recycling streams.
• Examples: Certain biodegradable bags and single-use utensils.
• End Life: When returned to soil, they don’t decompose similarly to other plastics.

Ceramics and Non-Recyclable Glass

• What it is: Pyrex, mirrors (cannot be melted down with regular glass), ceramics- dishes, sinks or bathtubs.
• End Life: Non-recyclable and often end up in landfills.

Contaminated Food Packaging

• What It Is: Packaging that has been contaminated with food residues.
• Examples: Greasy pizza boxes, and dirty food trays. (If it is just single-layered cardboard/ paper, compost it).
• Harms: Food contamination makes it difficult to recycle; typically disposed of as landfill waste.

Certain Textiles

• Examples: Clothing with mixed fibres, heavily soiled fabrics
• Why: Difficult to separate fibers and contamination

Medical Waste

• Examples: Used bandages, syringes, contaminated gloves
• Why: Biohazard risk and contamination

Household Hazardous Waste

• Examples: pesticides, paint
• Why: Contain harmful chemicals and require special disposal

Certain Electronics (E-Waste)

• Examples: Items with non-removable batteries or mixed materials
• Why: Complex disassembly required, contamination

Treated Wood

• Examples: Pressure-treated wood, painted wood
• Why: Contains chemicals that are harmful and cannot be recycled

Pet Waste

• Examples: Dog waste plastic bags, cat litter
• Why: Contamination and health risks

Certain Types of Paper

• Examples: Wax paper, carbon paper or Grease-Contaminated Paper Products, Pizza boxes, paper towels used with food
• Why: Coatings, additives and Food contamination make recycling difficult.

Unnatural Construction Materials

• Examples: unnatural materials like- PVC Pipes, cement, POP, etc.
• Why: Hazardous materials require special handling so things like demolition waste, etc. end up in landfills.

Some Cosmetic and Personal Care Products

• Examples: Toothbrushes, razor blades
• Why: Mixed materials and small parts

Wet-Waste

Feed The Cows First

Cows have the first right to our vegetable peels as food. If it can feed someone and be reused in the chain, why let it go to waste?

In our culture, it is a tradition to feed cows with kitchen scraps like vegetable peels, leftover fruits, and other biodegradable items. This practice not only provides nourishment to these animals but also ensures that the organic waste is reused effectively.

By feeding cows first, we contribute to a circular economy where waste is minimized, and resources are utilized to their fullest potential.

Compost The Rest

After feeding the cows, the remaining organic waste, such as mango pits, bael fruit shells, nail clippings, natural hair, tiny paper shreds and other inedible parts, should be composted. Composting is an excellent way to recycle organic waste into nutrient-rich soil that can be used to grow your food.

If you have access to land, pit composting is the best method. Microorganisms in soil will be fed and turn organic waste into compost.

Use Citrus Peels for cleaning

Citrus peels, such as those from lemons, oranges, and limes, can be repurposed as natural cleaning agents. The natural oils in citrus peels have antibacterial and antifungal properties, making them excellent for household cleaning tasks.

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO TRASH AUDITING

Step 1: Listing out your values and whys

Before jumping in, a good place to start is listing out your values and why you want to move towards a plastic-free lifestyle and ask yourself how you can align with them more every day.

Maybe you’re a trekker and you’re done seeing plastic polluting the precious mountains and their views. Or maybe you’re fed up with our political leaders not creating or passing progressive climate change legislation?

Write down your reasoning(s) somewhere permanent–like in your phone notes, on social media or vision board so that you can reference them whenever you need a little motivational kick. Having strong reasoning always helps in holding yourself accountable for shifts in behaviour.

Step 2: Gathering The Materials

• Protective equipment: Reusable Gloves (Can use gardening gloves as well), closed-toed shoes (Gardening rubber boots), Cloth Face masks, etc.
• An Area set up designated for sorting your waste/ keeping the bins.
• Sorting bins (3 to 4) or Cardboard boxes/ Reusable cloth garbage bags.
• Data Collection Guide/ Equipment – Mindful Savers Free Trash audit Challenge guide, pencil, eraser, scale for weighing and phone for pictures or documentation.
• Collection of Trash (Separated into three different bins – Recyclables, Non-Recyclables & Compostables)
• Composting pit/ Composters.

Step 3: Choosing Duration For Your Trash Collection

You can start with weekly to monthly as you start reducing your waste. It depends on how much quantity of waste you create in your current lifestyle.

Step 4: Choose The Right Method For You

Tip- Personally, recording my trash in one sitting by weight has always worked best for me.

Step 5: Segregating/ Collecting your waste

Waste Management At Source

Gather waste from your home or workplace over a specific period to get a representative sample of your typical waste. Write it down (by weight) into categories. Recyclables, landfill and compostables weekly or monthly.

Step 6: Final Trash Audit/ Observation/ Questions

Record the number of items in your recyclable and landfill bin (Non-recyclables) from most to last.

Step 7: Set Goals For Next Time

Digging around in your trash is likely going to bring up a few items that you know you can eliminate immediately.

Great! Beyond that, I’d encourage you to set at least 2-3 challenges for yourself during the week. Here are a few ideas if you’re feeling a little stumped:

Step 8: Re-Audit Next Month/ Week

After becoming aware, setting a few goals, and making some habit changes, return to the sheet, and re-audit.

When did you decide to audit your trash? How is it going for you? Or did my free trash audit guide help you? Let me know in the comments below.