CalRecycle’s statewide average data for business waste streams can estimate materials coming from an individual business or group of businesses using employee counts. Tons per employee per year (TPEPY) times number of employees estimates total tons in each stream, then composition percents give amount of each material. TPEPY can be either for Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employment or total employment (including all full time and part time employees). Tons in the first 4 streams add across rows to give Total Generation. Percents show the proportion each material contributes to each stream, and they add down the columns to give 100%.

Select a business group, select whether you are using FTE or total employment, and enter number of employees. See caveats to keep in mind when using this data. Note: Construction businesses are not included here.

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Commercial waste compositions and generation rates are statewide averages developed from sampling at 50 individual businesses, scattered throughout the state, for each business group. A jurisdiction’s estimates are based on these data and not on sampling at individual businesses in that jurisdiction.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact CalRecycle waste characterization staff at wastechar@calrecycle.ca.gov