What Should a Monthly Waste Review Meeting Actually Include?

Turning routine catch-ups into real performance improvements.

Many businesses hold monthly waste review meetings — but few get real value from them. Too often, these sessions become reactive updates on missed services or billing questions, rather than structured discussions that improve performance, reduce costs, and support sustainability goals.

A well-run monthly waste review should be short, focused, and outcome-driven. Whether you manage a single site or a national portfolio across Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, knowing what to cover — and what to avoid — makes all the difference.

picture of a facilities and sustainability team reviewing waste performance dashboards during a monthly meeting, on What Should a Monthly Waste Review Meeting Actually Include?

Why Monthly Waste Reviews Matter

Waste services operate continuously, but issues often build quietly over time — half-empty bins, creeping costs, contamination, or declining diversion. Monthly reviews create a regular checkpoint to:

Identify issues early before they become expensive
Track performance against agreed KPIs
Align procurement, facilities, and sustainability priorities
Maintain accountability across suppliers and sites

1. Service Performance and Reliability

Start with service delivery. This sets the foundation for everything else.

Missed or late collections
DIFOT (Delivery In Full, On Time) performance
Recurring service issues by site
Response and resolution times

The goal isn’t to revisit every incident — it’s to identify patterns and agree on preventative actions.

2. Cost Review and Variances

Next, review spend against expectations. Monthly reviews help prevent cost creep caused by over-servicing or unnoticed changes.

Total spend by site and waste stream
Month-on-month cost variances
Unplanned charges or surcharges
Opportunities for right-sizing or optimisation

Clear cost visibility ensures financial control without compromising service quality.

3. Diversion and Recycling Performance

Landfill diversion should be a standing agenda item — not an annual afterthought.

Diversion rate by site and portfolio
Changes in recycling volumes
Organics and specialty stream performance
Progress against diversion targets

Tracking these metrics monthly helps sustain momentum and supports ESG reporting.

4. Contamination and Behavioural Issues

Contamination is often the biggest barrier to better recycling outcomes. Monthly reviews should highlight:

Sites with rising contamination rates
Root causes (bin placement, signage, training gaps)
Corrective actions such as staff education or signage updates

Addressing behaviour early prevents recycling streams from being downgraded to landfill.

5. ESG and Scope 3 Waste Metrics

For organisations with sustainability targets, waste reviews are a key ESG checkpoint.

Waste-related Scope 3 emissions (tCO₂e)
Emissions trends linked to diversion improvements
Data quality and reporting completeness
Upcoming disclosure or audit requirements

This ensures waste data aligns with broader ESG and reporting frameworks.

6. Actions, Owners, and Timelines

The most important part of any review is what happens next.

Agreed actions and optimisation opportunities
Clear ownership (supplier vs customer)
Defined timelines and success measures

Without actions, monthly reviews quickly lose their value.

What to Avoid in Monthly Waste Reviews

Rehashing individual service complaints without trend analysis
Overloading meetings with raw data instead of insights
Focusing only on cost and ignoring performance or sustainability
Letting reviews drift without clear outcomes

How Nationwide Waste Solutions Structures Monthly Reviews

At Nationwide Waste Solutions, monthly waste reviews are built around performance, transparency, and continuous improvement. We provide:

Consolidated KPI dashboards across all sites
Clear cost and service variance reporting
Diversion and ESG-ready data
Action-focused meeting agendas with follow-up tracking

Because we coordinate multiple providers on your behalf, reviews stay strategic — not reactive.

Are Your Waste Reviews Delivering Value?

If your monthly meetings feel repetitive or unfocused, it may be time to reset the agenda. With the right structure, these reviews become one of the most effective tools for reducing cost, improving service, and delivering sustainability outcomes.

Talk to Nationwide Waste Solutions today about structuring effective monthly waste reviews.