Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Annual net savings
$1,200
Current landfill cost
$4,500
Composting service cost
$3,300
Methane emissions avoided (CO2e)
151.20
Psst — share this and help Rex grow
One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter food/organic waste generated (tons/yr).
- 2Enter landfill hauling + tip cost ($/ton).
- 3Enter composting service cost ($/ton).
- 4Enter ch4 generation factor (kg CH4/ton).
- 5Read your annual net savings on the right — it updates as you type.
- 6Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Composting organic waste avoids both the landfill tip fee and the methane emissions that food waste would otherwise generate, making it one of the better dollar-per-ton and carbon-per-ton investments in a waste program. This calculator compares the cost of your current food waste disposal (landfill hauling and tip fees) against a composting or organics collection program, and separately estimates the methane emissions avoided using EPA WARM-consistent factors. Many municipalities and states now mandate commercial organics diversion above a certain waste-generation threshold (California SB 1383, several Northeast states), so this also functions as a compliance cost estimate — showing whether the composting service actually costs more or less than the alternative once avoided landfill tip fees are netted out.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Food/organic waste generated: 60 tons/yr
- Landfill hauling + tip cost: 75 $/ton
- Composting service cost: 55 $/ton
- CH4 generation factor: 90 kg CH4/ton
Results
- Annual net savings: $1,200
- Current landfill cost: $4,500
- Composting service cost: $3,300
- Methane emissions avoided (CO2e): 151.2
What each field means
Inputs
- Food/organic waste generated (tons/yr)
- The food/organic waste generated used in the calculation, measured in tons/yr. Starts at 60 tons/yr so you have a working example on load.
- Landfill hauling + tip cost ($/ton)
- The landfill hauling + tip cost used in the calculation, measured in $/ton. Starts at 75 $/ton so you have a working example on load.
- Composting service cost ($/ton)
- The composting service cost used in the calculation, measured in $/ton. Starts at 55 $/ton so you have a working example on load.
- CH4 generation factor (kg CH4/ton)
- The ch4 generation factor used in the calculation, measured in kg CH4/ton. Starts at 90 kg CH4/ton so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Annual net savings
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Current landfill cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Composting service cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Methane emissions avoided (CO2e)
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Is composting always cheaper than landfilling?
Not always — it depends heavily on local hauler availability and contamination rates. In markets with a mature organics hauling infrastructure it's often cheaper per ton than landfill tip fees; in markets without nearby composting facilities, hauling distance can make it more expensive despite the environmental benefit, which is common in more rural areas.
What states or cities require commercial composting?
California's SB 1383 requires organics recycling for most businesses generating waste above state thresholds, with local jurisdictions enforcing it. Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York City have similar commercial organics mandates, and more states are adopting these rules, so check your local requirements even if this calculator shows a net cost.
How does contamination affect compost program cost?
Composting facilities often charge higher tip fees or reject loads with excessive plastic or non-organic contamination, since it costs them to screen it out before processing. Investing in clear signage and staff training to keep the organics stream clean is usually cheaper than absorbing repeated contamination surcharges.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Waste Diversion Rate & Hauling Savings Calculator
Diversion percentage from landfill, plus hauling cost savings from recycling.
Landfill Methane Emissions Calculator
Estimated methane emissions from your organic and mixed waste sent to landfill.
Recycling Revenue Calculator
Estimated revenue from selling recyclable materials by commodity.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Compost Diversion Savings Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/compost-diversion-savings
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/compost-diversion-savings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Compost Diversion Savings Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Compost Diversion Savings Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/compost-diversion-savings) (2026).