Waste and recycling
Recycling recovery yield and value
Compare recovered saleable material with input purchase, processing and reject disposal costs.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
contribution = input × recovery share × sale price - input × (purchase + processing) - rejects × disposal rate
Recovery must use a moisture and contaminant basis consistent with purchase and sale contracts. No commodity price, waste classification, recovery guarantee or environmental permission is inferred. Use your own records for the same scope and period. Example figures are illustrative, not industry benchmarks. Results exclude income taxes and any cost you have not entered. Check the result before pricing work or committing resources.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Incoming batch weight (US short tons): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Saleable recovery share (%): Enter a percentage from your records or an explicitly chosen scenario. No typical or recommended rate is supplied.
- Sale price per saleable US short ton (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Purchase cost per input ton (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Processing cost per input ton (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Disposal cost per reject ton (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Batch contribution after entered costs is $580.00 for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Incoming batch weight: 10.00 US short tons
- Saleable recovery share: 80.00 %
- Sale price per saleable US short ton: $150.00
- Purchase cost per input ton: $20.00
- Processing cost per input ton: $30.00
- Disposal cost per reject ton: $60.00
- Batch contribution after entered costs
- $580.00
- Saleable recovered material
- 8.00 US short tons
- Reject material
- 2.00 US short tons
- Saleable material revenue
- $1,200.00
- Reject disposal cost
- $120.00
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Compare recovered saleable material with input purchase, processing and reject disposal costs. Inputs come from your own records and stated assumptions; no rates or legal limits are looked up.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.