Section 5 – Waste
This section is for the reporting of the waste from your organisation’s activities. We ask that you fill out the whole of this section. You can find additional guidance on waste recording and emissions below and on our website. If you answered ‘We do not use a premises’ in 1.4, this section will not show.
If you wish to see the guidance for a specific question, please use the question list below.
5.1. What is the total amount of waste that your organisation disposed of for each waste stream in the past year?
Please state the units and method used to measure for each waste stream for which you have data.
We are asking for waste data from each waste category that your organisation has used in the reporting period. You should enter the value for each source in the box provided. If you have no waste for a source, please enter 0 in the text box.
We are also asking that you provide the units and method used to collect the data for each reported waste amount. This year we have added an option for residual waste going to incineration for energy from waste rather than landfill. Two thirds of Scotland’s residual waste goes to landfill so if you are not sure whether your residual waste goes to landfill or incineration, you should assume that it goes to landfill.
The sources we ask for are:
- Residual waste – landfill
- Residual waste – energy from waste/incineration
- Dry mixed recycling
- Food waste
- Waste electricals and electronics
Options available for units:
- Bin bags
- Kilograms
- Litres
Options available for the method:
- Data from contractor
- Self-monitoring
- Estimate
Minimum expected response |
Best practice response |
An estimate of the waste produced by your organisation based on a few sample weeks throughout the reporting year. | Complete waste data from your contractor/bills. If you are a tenant, you work with your landlord to get your proportion of waste data. |
When you enter any numerical data for a given waste stream, space to add the units and method used will appear. If you don’t add any data in this question, you will be shown 5.1a.
Reason for question
Measuring and monitoring all your sources of emissions is the first step to understanding and managing them. This question requires you to do just that so that you have the relevant data required to inform your carbon management plan. Emissions from waste are classed as Scope 3 emissions under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Understand more about emissions classification.
We ask for units to ensure we transform your reported amounts into emissions using the correct methodology. We ask for an idea of the accuracy so that we can establish how organisations are measuring their waste and we can tailor or feedback and future guidance accordingly.
Calculation methodology
Once we receive these figures, we will multiply them by the UK government emissions factor for the source and unit that you have provided for 2023/24 to get the kgCO2e value.
Supporting resources
Carbon management planning tool
Understanding the sources of emissions
Culture for Climate Scotland’s guide to preventing, reducing and recycling waste
5.1a. You have not reported any data on waste.
Please explain why you are unable to provide this data.
Give a brief explanation of why you are unable to provide waste data and what actions you are taking to ensure you can report this next year.
This is a mandatory question for all organisations that it is shown to.
You will be shown this question if you have not entered any values in 5.2.
Reason for question
We encourage all organisations to report waste data, even if it is an estimate. Therefore, if an organisation is unable to provide this information, we would like to understand what we can do to enable them to provide this data next year.
5.2. Is there anything else you think we should know about your organisation’s waste?
If you have anything else you wish to mention, please write it in the text box.
Reason for question
This gives you space to explain any figures provided above or to add any additional information you think is required.
If you have any questions about this section, please email: [email protected].