Introduction to "GAP" — A Protocol to Measure Municipal Solid Waste Flow

“GAP” refers to generally accepted principles (GAP) for measuring municipal waste flow. It is the term used to identify the process that allows municipalities to identify what should and should not be included and excluded in records of waste generation and diversion in any municipality or jurisdiction, and to report waste flow and diversion in a consistent manner across Canada.

Until the GAP process came along, it was virtually impossible to compare “apples to apples” when it came to municipal waste flow and diversion The types of materials municipalities included in waste diversion measurements varied significantly across Canada and the U.S. Some municipalities included waste from commercial establishments. Others did not. This lack of consistency in the measurement method hampered attempts to compare or aggregate municipal, provincial and even federal waste generation and diversion figures.

CSR struck a Canada-wide team in early 2000 to examine municipal waste flow and diversion and figure out how to apply standardized principles and practices to measuring waste flow. The GAP protocol was developed over a series of GAP Team meetings and was finalized for wide application and adoption in early 2001.

GAP is a work in progress.  The GAP Team meets a number of times each year to review feedback from GAP users and adjust the approach to GAP diversion estimates as required.