Recycling Impact Calculator
See the environmental savings from recycling household materials including CO₂, energy, and water.
Did this tool work for you?
How to use this calculator
- 1
Estimate how many kilograms of each material you recycle per month.
- 2
Review the CO₂, energy, and water savings your recycling generates.
- 3
See your annual CO₂ impact and its tree-offset equivalent.
Frequently asked questions
What does the calculator compute?
For each material it multiplies the kilograms you enter by three per-kilogram figures, for CO₂, energy and water, and adds the results. The totals are monthly, then CO₂ is multiplied by 12 for an annual value.
What are the per-kilogram figures?
These are built into this tool. For CO₂ in kg: paper 0.9, cardboard 0.9, plastic 1.5, glass 0.3, aluminium 9.5, steel 1.8. For energy in kWh: 4, 3, 5, 0.5, 14, 4 in the same order. For water in litres: 26, 20, 185, 2, 40, 30. The tool labels the CO₂ figure as saved compared with landfill or incineration.
Do these figures apply to my area?
They are single estimates. Real values vary by country, year, process and supplier, and the tool cannot tell which collection or reprocessing route your waste takes. Use the output as an order-of-magnitude guide and not a measurement.
How is the tree equivalent worked out?
Annual CO₂ ÷ 21, which treats one tree as absorbing 21 kg of CO₂ per year. The default inputs give 7.4. It is a unit conversion on the tool’s own numbers and is not a claim about any planting.
Why does aluminium dominate the CO₂ result?
Because its per-kilogram figure of 9.5 kg is more than five times the next highest, steel at 1.8 kg, with plastic at 1.5. Half a kilogram of aluminium a month contributes 4.75 kg to the default total of 13.0 kg.
Does it count transport, rejects or contamination?
No. It assumes every kilogram you enter is accepted and reprocessed. Material rejected for contamination, the energy used to collect and sort it, and the difference between materials in mixed streams are outside the model.
What units should I use?
Kilograms per month. Items are not counted by number. Negative entries are treated as zero, and decimals such as 1.5 kg are fine.
Recycling impact calculator: CO₂, energy and water by material
How to use the recycling impact calculator
Use this recycling impact calculator to estimate the environmental benefits of your recycling habits — CO₂ saved, trees preserved, water conserved, and energy recovered. Select the materials you recycle and enter monthly quantities above. Results appear instantly and are completely free to use on any device.
How the recycling impact calculator works
The recycling impact calculator applies EPA-sourced emission factors and resource-equivalency data to convert recycling volumes into environmental impact metrics. Paper, plastic, glass, metal, and electronics each have different impact multipliers. All calculations run locally in your browser with no data uploaded.
Six materials, three savings
Enter the weight of paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminium and steel cans you recycle each month and the calculator returns three monthly totals: CO₂, energy and water, plus an annual CO₂ figure and a tree equivalent. The per-kilogram values below are the figures built into this tool. Real values vary by country, year and supplier, so the output describes the tool’s own arithmetic.
| Material | CO₂ (kg) | Energy (kWh) | Water (litres) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | 0.9 | 4 | 26 |
| Cardboard | 0.9 | 3 | 20 |
| Plastic | 1.5 | 5 | 185 |
| Glass | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2 |
| Aluminium | 9.5 | 14 | 40 |
| Steel cans | 1.8 | 4 | 30 |
Worked example: the default household
The default month is 3 kg of paper, 2 kg of cardboard, 1.5 kg of plastic, 2 kg of glass, 0.5 kg of aluminium and 0.5 kg of steel cans. The calculator returns 13.0 kg of CO₂, 35.5 kWh of energy and 435 litres of water per month. Annual CO₂ is 156.0 kg, equal to 7.4 trees by the tool’s 21 kg rule. A larger month of 10 kg paper, 8 kg cardboard, 4 kg plastic, 6 kg glass, 1 kg aluminium and 1 kg steel gives 35.3 kg of CO₂, 105.0 kWh and 1,242 litres, with 423.6 kg a year and 20.2 trees.
| Profile | CO₂ per month | Energy per month | Water per month | CO₂ per year | Trees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default (10 kg total) | 13.0 kg | 35.5 kWh | 435 L | 156.0 kg | 7.4 |
| Larger (30 kg total) | 35.3 kg | 105.0 kWh | 1,242 L | 423.6 kg | 20.2 |
Worked example: one kilogram of a single material
Putting 1 kg into one material at a time shows the spread. Aluminium returns 9.5 kg of CO₂, 14.0 kWh and 40 litres. Plastic returns 1.5 kg, 5.0 kWh and 185 litres, so plastic has the highest water figure by a wide margin. Glass returns just 0.3 kg of CO₂, 0.5 kWh and 2 litres. Because the metals carry high figures, a small weight of aluminium can outweigh a much larger weight of glass in the totals.
| Material | CO₂ per month | Energy per month | Water per month | CO₂ per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 9.5 kg | 14.0 kWh | 40 L | 114.0 kg |
| Plastic | 1.5 kg | 5.0 kWh | 185 L | 18.0 kg |
| Glass | 0.3 kg | 0.5 kWh | 2 L | 3.6 kg |
Reading the output
Weight, not item count, drives the totals, and the three outputs rank materials differently, so a material that is small in CO₂ terms may still be large in water terms. Use the results to compare your own mix from month to month. They are not a verified saving, and the tool does not report what any local recycling programme achieves.
Limits
There is no allowance for transport, sorting, rejected loads or the type of plastic. All six materials use one value each, and the same factors apply wherever you live.
Learn more from an authoritative source:
WikipediaCarbon Offset Calculator
Calculate the cost to offset a given carbon footprint through different verified offset programmes.
Renewable Energy Payback Calculator
Calculate the payback period, 25-year savings, and ROI for home solar panels or a small wind turbine.
Carbon Footprint Calculator
Calculate your personal annual carbon footprint from flights, driving, diet, and home energy.
Household Emissions Calculator
Calculate the carbon emissions and energy costs from your home electricity and gas usage.
Water Usage Calculator
Calculate your household's daily water consumption in litres and your estimated annual water bill.
Results are estimates for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional financial, medical, legal, or technical advice. Read full disclaimer →