ZeroDay waste calculator uses the data and ALGORITHMS supplemented by The Zero Waste Design Guidelines - Design Strategies and Case Studies for a Zero-Waste City.
The Zero Waste Design Guidelines address the crucial role that design plays in achieving NYC’s ambitious goal, outlined in OneNYC, to send zero waste to landfills by 2030.
The Guidelines were developed through a collaborative process starting in November 2016. More than 100 collaborators—including architects, planners, developers, city officials, waste haulers, recycling experts and building managers —engaged in multidisciplinary workshops at New York’s Center for Architecture.
The guidelines team visited more than 40 buildings and held discussions with porters and supers to fully understand waste collection issues across building types.
The Zero Waste Design Guidelines are made possible with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and were developed in collaboration with the AIA New York Committee on the Environment; Kiss + Cathcart, Architects; ClosedLoops; and the Foodprint Group.
Data used
Note - If compostable dishware is used then the volume of organic waste will be much larger than calculated.
tons/capita/year
0.14
tons/employee/year
1.382
0.583
0.157
2.048
0.388
The calculator is primarily intended for new buildings, where the volume of waste is unknown.
it can also be used in existing buildings to see how equipment can reduce the volume of waste, as well as the implications of applying waste diversion strategies.
The calculator is based on average rates and information, and does not cover all types of occupancies.
For commercial buildings with multiple occupancies and large volumes of waste the calculator should serve as a first step.
The calculator is not a substitute for a waste consultant who can give recommendations specific to the client’s circumstances.