Zero Waste Certification

Q: What is the purpose of Zero Waste?

A: Zero Waste is a corporate, business, and lifestyle philosophy that seeks to reduce the amount of waste generated by businesses, governments, and individuals through reuse of existing materials, proper stewardship of materials designated as wastes, and by preventing materials from entering the waste stream in the first place.

Q: How does Zero Waste Facility certification benefit my company?

A: SCS Zero Waste Certification provides third-party assurance of waste diversion achieved at a facility (over a 12-month period. This certified diversion rate can be used to communicate a company’s journey towards eliminating landfill-bound waste generation. The annual assessment captures the amount of waste diverted from landfill as a percentage of total waste generated.

Q: Does the Zero Waste Standard only cover facilities? Or can the Zero Waste Standard also cover projects and events? 

A: The SCS Zero Waste Standard covers all waste generated and diverted at a facility, as well as over the course of a project or event. While in the past SCS certified against three separate zero waste standards (facilities, events, projects), we have since consolidated this standard into one that covers all three scopes of zero waste certification. The standard stipulates the time and physical boundaries of each scope. For example, all waste generated at the facility over a 12-month period must be taken into account for the certified diversion percentage. The time period for a project, on the other hand, is defined by the Operator. The time period of the Event is specific to the duration of the event. All wastes generated during the time period and produced as a result of activities during the scope must be taken into account.  

Q: How is the SCS Zero Waste certification program different from others, such as GBCI TRUE certification or NSF Landfill Free certification?

A: There are several key factors that distinguish the SCS Zero Waste certification program from other waste certification and verification programs:

• Cost savings: For facilities, the Standard defaults to remote auditing; on-site audits are only required if triggered by the risk assessment set in the Standard (determined by availability of third-party supporting documentation).
• Verification of diversion percentages: While we keep the definition of Zero Waste as 99% diversion, facilities only have to show 50% diversion to participate in the SCS certification. Other standards do not allow for “participation” without achieving at least 90% diversion.
• Hazardous Waste: Our standard accepts diversion of hazardous waste to count towards diversion, on a case-by-case basis (following analysis).
• Waste to Energy: Our standard allows for the use of waste-to-energy as a diversion method for up to 25% of total diversion without further review. It allows for more than 25% of total diversion on a case-by-case basis following review.
• Residual Rate Allowance: Our standard allows for the default industry/regional residual rates to be applied when calculating diversion rates if data from haulers/third party waste collection services is not available. Other standards require affidavits.

Q: What types of facilities can be certified?

A: Any facility that generates its own waste qualifies for certification. A facility that stores or sorts waste on behalf of another facility qualifies for a Verification audit in which SCS can validate the incoming vs. outgoing waste amounts.  

Q: Do my facilities have to be 99% waste free in order to be certified Zero Waste by SCS?

A: No; to participate in the Certification program, facilities must achieve a minimum of 50% waste diversion over a 12-month period. Actual diversion per facility will be stated on the certificate each year. This enables corporations to tell the story of their zero-waste journey year over year.

Q: Do all of my facilities have to have an in-person audit every year to be certified Zero Waste?

A: No. The Standard defaults to remote auditing; on-site audits are only required if triggered by the risk assessment set in the Standard (determined by availability of third-party supporting documentation).

Q: What does a Zero Waste certificate include?

A: The SCS Zero Waste certificate includes a transparent overview of the company’s zero waste achievements, including the following required information:

• The percentage of waste diversion the company achieved for that year. Percentage is calculated using the following formula: (diverted waste - residuals) + prevented waste) / (total waste + prevented waste)
• Each method of diversion used (e.g., recycling, composting, waste-to-energy) as well as the percentage diverted using each method.
• The progress the company has made in waste diversion expressed as points; for example, if a company achieved 55% diversion last year and 60% diversion in the audited year; the certificate would show ‘+5’
• Whether Operator currently stores any waste (not the percentage or the total weight of stored material)
• Period of certification (12-month period audited)

Q: We have multiple facilities. Is it possible to only certify a few at a time, or do we have to certify all facilities to qualify for SCS Zero Waste certification?

A: We can certify any number of facilities; only the facilities that undergo evaluation will be considered in scope for the SCS Zero Waste Certification. Every facility is certified to the diversion rate achieved at that facility.

Q: What is the diversion percentage and how is it calculated?  

A: A company’s overall diversion percentage is calculated using the following formula: (diverted waste – residuals + prevented waste) / (total waste + prevented waste). In the formula, diverted waste is any material diverted from landfill using any of the following pathways: recycling, composting, re-use, reclamation, e-waste, sale, or waste-to-energy.  

Q: What is “waste prevented through re-design”?

A: Waste that is no longer generated due to a new production or procurement process. For example, a company switches from single use molds to reusable molds, or from carboard packaging from suppliers to reusable containers. SCS recognizes reductions from redesign towards a company’s total diversion percentage for a 5-year period.

Q: I don’t understand all of the diversion pathways that are considered by the SCS standard. Do you have a list of Zero Waste definitions?

A: Yes, below is a list of diversion pathways as well as other useful definitions for understanding the SCS Zero Waste Standard:  

• Composting: The process of allowing organic waste material to decay to form a relatively homogeneous and stable humus-like substance that can then be added to soil as fertilizer [ISO 14021]. Composting can be either an internal or external diversion method.
• E-Waste Recovery: The process of recovering valuable materials from consumer and business electronic equipment that is near or at the end of its useful life (such as computers, televisions, and cell phones). This process is undertaken by licensed facilities.
• Prevented through Redesign: A diversion method in which waste that would have occurred under a former process has since been eliminated due to redesign of the product, packaging, or process. Prevented waste from redesign can be calculated by dividing the previous year’s total weight of the (now) prevented waste by the total number of units of product created in the previous year, then multiplying this result by the number of units generated in the current year. An Operator’s process will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure claims of prevented waste from redesign are accurate. Prevented waste can only be claimed for a year from the implementation of a redesign process.
• Reclamation: The process of collecting waste material that would have otherwise been landfilled, incinerated, or sent for energy recovery, and using it as a material input in a manufacturing process [based on ISO 14021]. Reclamation prevents the use of purchased or virgin materials by using materials generated onsite. Reclamation can lead to a value-added product. Example: a plywood manufacturer generates sawdust which can be collected and made into pellets. Pre-consumer waste could potentially fall under this category.
• Recycling: The process of collecting qualifying waste material and sending it to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to be shredded, pelletized, or chemically altered with the goal of selling this processed material to existing markets. Common materials include glass, metal, cardboard, and plastics, but other materials may apply as well. Recycling is an external diversion method; material is considered recycled under this Standard when it is sent to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
• Reuse: The process of collecting waste material that would have otherwise been landfilled or sent for energy recovery and using it again for its initial purpose. Example: Foam recompacted at end of process and used again. Pre-consumer waste could potentially fall under this category.
• Sale/Donation: The process of identifying a beneficial use for a waste material and sending it directly to a (non-MRF) External Vendor for it to be input into a process or otherwise consumed. A sold material can only be considered a waste material, as opposed to a product, if the economic value, per unit, of the material is below 15% compared to the economic value, per unit, of the main or primary product(s). Economic value is the value at which the material was sold.
• Waste-to-Energy (WTE): Energy recovered from material that would have been sent to landfill but instead has been collected through managed processes [based on ISO 14021]. This method includes combustion, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion where the main purpose and output of the process is to create energy. WTE can be either an internal or external diversion method. 

Q: What other environmental certifications does SCS offer?

A: Zero Waste certification is just one of many certifications a company can achieve as part of its ongoing sustainability journey. SCS offers more than 100 certification and validation programs for a wide variety of products and processes to help companies as they grow towards being more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Such measures ultimately help companies achieve better ESG ratings from the many corporate ratings companies, which in turn positions the company well from an ESG investment and institutional investor perspective. For a complete listing of all SCS certifications and validations, visit: http://www.scsglobalservices.com/services