Waste Stream Audit Template — The 5 Stacks Framework

Product line

Week of

Recorded by

Instructions: For one week, track everything discarded from a single product line. Separate into three categories. Weigh or count each. Estimate what the material cost you when it came in. The total of Categories A and B is your recoverable margin.

Category A — Reusable

Material that could go back into production as-is or with minor rework.

Item / Material	Qty / Weight	Est. Original Cost	Notes




Category A Total

Category B — Sellable

Material that has value to someone else — offcuts, byproducts, scrap that can be sold.

Item / Material	Qty / Weight	Est. Sale Value	Notes




Category B Total

Category C — Actual Waste

Material with genuinely no recoverable value. What you're paying to dispose of.

Item / Material	Qty / Weight	Disposal Cost	Notes



Category C Total

Weekly summary

Recoverable value (A + B)

Disposal cost (C)

Total margin lost