Recorded: September 2025 · Sacha van Tuijn (Scaler, Head of Client Success) & Laura Rosenshine (WATS, Co-Founder & CEO)
What this webinar covers
A focused session on why waste is becoming essential to ESG and Scope 3 reporting — and what to do about it. Sacha walks through Scaler's waste data tools (waste meter creation methods, custom emission factors, framework exports, and Scope 3 Category 5 mapping). Laura covers WATS's approach to standardising and centralising waste data across vendors and invoice formats. Closes with audience poll insights and practical recommendations for teams getting started.
Articles to read alongside the recording
- Configuring custom emission factors — set country- and disposal-method-specific waste factors
- Waste meters and consumption methods — invoice, bin-fill, and estimation methods
- Scope 3 Category 5 reporting — how waste flows into your GHG inventory
Key takeaways
- Waste is the final utility frontier. It remains the least standardised and least metered utility despite being a recurring cost and emissions driver. Treating it as a real data category — not a back-office afterthought — unlocks both reporting and reduction opportunities.
- The hardest part is upstream. Inconsistent invoice formats, lack of automation, local infrastructure complexity, and manual spreadsheet entry are the dominant pain points. Tools like WATS automate ingestion from vendors, OCR raw invoices, convert volume to weight, and flag duplicates and gaps.
- Scaler covers the downstream. Waste meters can be created via invoice, bin-fill, or estimation. Data flows into dashboards, framework exports (e.g. GRESB), and emissions views, with custom emission factors configurable by country and disposal method. Coverage gaps surface portfolio-wide.
- Use both layers together. Run WATS upfront for ingestion and standardisation; use Scaler for analytics, framework reporting, and Scope 3 Category 5 GHG outputs.
- Most teams are still in reporting mode, not action mode. Audience polls flagged data wrangling, availability, and internal buy-in as the biggest blockers. Linking waste cost savings to emissions savings is the most effective way to align vendors, asset teams, and internal stakeholders.
💡 This is a snapshot of what was covered in the session. Platform features and emissions methodologies continue to evolve — for current functionality always defer to the linked articles above.