How Do We Measure a Zero-Waste Event?
There is no agreed-upon definition of a zero-waste event and no standard for measuring it. In fact, we’ve been measuring it all wrong!
The Problem – Current Diversion Rates Incentivize More Waste
Something has been frustrating me A LOT lately: zero-waste event goals focus on waste diversion, which is inherently flawed. There, I said it. 
In the same way that consumers are made to feel responsible for somehow finding a way to recycle non-recyclable items, the only thing our current “waste diversion” measurement does is divert our attention from the amount of waste we’re producing!
Okay, so that’s pretty harsh. Waste diversion has its merits: It’s easy to measure and shows evidence that sustainability is a focus. But if the only goal is to divert 90% of the waste we produce, I can make that happen very easily: lay a concrete slab and send the millions of pounds of concrete to a construction and demolition recycler. In other words, I can easily meet my waste diversion goals by producing MORE waste.
Example: numbers from the same event year over year (YoY)
The Solution – it’s two-pronged
Prong #1 – Focus on Waste Per Participant Per Day (“W/P/D”)
The current diversion rate does one thing well: it produces a standardized number against which event organizers can set goals and compare their events to others. So, to replace it, we’ll need to hit those marks. I propose a total waste weight per participant per day standard to do that. Using the “waste weight per participant per day” gives an event the ability to change over time while keeping the number constant to set goals and compare events.
Let’s measure it like this:
* including all contracted days of an event from move-in to move-out
** attendees + staff + vendors, not including local venue or catering staff
*** including only the number of event days, not including move-in and move-out
Let’s see how this changes our previous example:
If diversion rate is our metric, then we did it! With a 92% diversion rate, let’s focus on maintaining our current planning for 2025. But using this new measurement, not only is the increase in participants accounted for, but we can see a 100% increase in waste! Armed with this new metric, we would likely change our planning strategy and ask: What’s changed from 2023 to 2024 to produce so much more waste, and how do we reduce it in 2025?
Prong #2 – Include Rental and Reuse Numbers in the Diversion Rate
The traditional diversion rate includes landfill, recycling, compost, and donation weight numbers. If you buy 100 new chairs and donate them in year 1 but rent them in year two, your diversion rate likely decreases, even though renting is the more sustainable choice. By including rental and reuse weights in the diversion rate, we’re crediting events for continuing to reduce their waste and essentially “divert more waste from landfill.”
Expanded Diversion Rate:
* including materials rented, from reuse, recycled, composted, and donated
** including materials rented, from reuse, recycled, composted, donated, and landfilled
There is a conversation about what we should include in this category. For instance, A/V equipment is expensive and is reused as an industry standard. It’s hard to find an event that buys screens, projectors, or networking equipment and trashes them afterward. So, should this be counted in the diversion rate? It shouldn’t. There are rare exceptions; for example, if an event builds a custom A/V display that is wasted post-event, it should be counted. In short, only materials that are typically wasted should be included in this new diversion rate.
To conclude, I suggest a slight edit to our “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” mantra: you must measure right. How you measure and report zero-waste events really matter, and focusing on the wrong metric can cause your event to move backward.
Resources to Help You With a Zero-Waste Event
- Food Waste: How You Can Help Lessen One of Our Industry’s Most Vexing Issues
On-Demand webinar through Meetings Today and lead by Nancy J. Zavada, CMP, Founder of MeetGreen. - A Story About Sustainable Production vs Sustainable Reduction
Article written on real-world examples of how reducing waste in during your planning is an effective tool to a zero-waste event. - The Power of the Pig: A Sustainable Way to Food Recovery
Article written to highlight solutions for food recovery.
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