In a recent WasteDIVE post, Arlene Karidis recounts the history of measurement for waste diversion programs and how life cycle analysis gives a clearer picture of success.

Two experts she quotes had this to say: "Through the current weight-based accounting system, all methods of recovery are equal [when it comes to cutting emissions]. All materials are equal. All markets are equal," said David Allaway, senior policy analyst for Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality. But this is a flawed view of waste management. Instead, Oregon is moving to a "life cycle analysis."

"Life cycle gives us a quantitative framework to estimate the overall environmental harm or benefits associated with different processing alternatives. And it looks at individual products' environmental impact from cradle to grave," explained Jim Levis, a North Carolina State University researcher in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. Using life cycle analysis can reveal the environmental tradeoffs of waste management decisions.