Compare calculators

Both calculators run independently — change the inputs on either side to compare results.

Recycling Contamination Cost Calculator

Estimates the monthly financial penalty your recycling program incurs from contaminated loads. Use it when auditing curbside or facility recycling streams to quantify the dollar cost of non-recyclable materials.

Monthly Recyclable Volume (lbs)

Contamination Rate (%)

Processing Cost ($/ton)

Contamination Penalty

Lost Revenue per Contaminated Ton ($)

Fill in the required fields to see your result.

Recycling

Recycling Program Cost-Benefit Calculator

Calculates the net financial return of a recycling program over a multi-year period, accounting for setup costs, monthly operating expenses, material revenue, and waste-disposal savings. Ideal for municipalities, businesses, or schools evaluating program viability.

Initial Setup Costs ($)

Monthly Operating Costs ($)

Monthly Material Revenue ($)

Monthly Waste Disposal Savings ($)

Analysis Period

Fill in the required fields to see your result.

Key differences

	Recycling Contamination Cost Calculator	Recycling Program Cost-Benefit Calculator
Category	Recycling	Recycling
Inputs required	5	5
Result	Monthly Contamination Cost ($)	Net Financial Benefit ($)
What it does	Estimates the monthly financial penalty your recycling program incurs from contaminated loads. Use it when auditing curbside or facility recycling streams to quantify the dollar cost of non-recyclable materials.	Calculates the net financial return of a recycling program over a multi-year period, accounting for setup costs, monthly operating expenses, material revenue, and waste-disposal savings. Ideal for municipalities, businesses, or schools evaluating program viability.