Etsy and Spare-it: Real-Time Waste Intelligence That Enables TRUE Zero Waste Certification

The Challenge

Many organizations aiming for TRUE Zero Waste certification struggle with fragmented data, infrequent manual audits, and limited visibility into top contributors, top contaminants, and where most of their waste is generated. Etsy needed a scalable solution to measure, monitor, and ultimately reduce in-building waste across floors and international sites.

The Solution

Spare-it’s platform was selected for its combination of waste measurement by weight and AI-enabled composition analytics, delivered via an intuitive dashboard. Initially deployed across Etsy's entire headquarters, the solution was then expanded to three additional countries. This expansion provided global sustainability and facilities teams with consistent, accurate data and engagement tools throughout their operational footprint.

 How Spare-it works:

• Smart scales under existing bins enable continuous weight monitoring without significant infrastructure changes and no change to daily operations

• AI-powered waste assessments identify contamination and its top contributors, enabling targeted behavior change and sorting improvements. 

• Analytics and trend dashboards support ESG reporting, facilitate real-time decision-making, and enable transparent progress tracking.

• Engagement tools (monthly communications, leaderboards, gamification, and floor-by-floor views help connect frontline behavior with broader sustainability goals.

The Outcomes

Etsy Headquarters

• Achieved 90%+ diversion, supported by real-time data and contamination monitoring.

• Contamination decreased by 18% from 2024 to 2025, a clear step toward cleaner streams and longer-term stability of TRUE certification.
  
  

Global Expansion Highlights

Spare-it is now active in Etsy across four countries, with strong early results at multiple international sites:

• Etsy’s Dublin, Ireland Location: 

  • Diversion increased by approximately 6%, reaching nearly 95%. 

  • Contamination decreased by approximately 43%.

• Etsy’s London, UK Location: 

  • Diversion improved by approximately 23% within the first few months of implementation.

Together, these results demonstrate a repeatable, high-quality model for TRUE certification and waste performance across multiple locations.

Spare-it Supporting TRUE Zero Waste Certification

Spare-it’s Waste Intelligence platform helps organizations achieve and sustain TRUE Zero Waste certification by turning diversion, contamination, and material flows into measurable, audit-ready performance data. Through continuous commodity-level weight tracking, contamination monitoring, documented diversion reporting, and waste analysis insights, Spare-it directly supports key diversion and reporting credits within the TRUE Rating System.

When fully implemented, Spare-it can directly and indirectly support eligibility for 20+ TRUE points, representing a substantial portion of the 31 points required for certification. By providing defensible data, ongoing performance visibility, and the operational insight needed to reduce contamination, right-size infrastructure, and improve diversion, Spare-it transforms waste from a compliance exercise into a measurable performance driver.

Turning Visibility into Action

Spare-it helps organizations move from estimating waste to reducing and improving it. With real-time data, measurable results, and employee engagement, organizations can increase diversion, reduce contamination, and advance toward TRUE Zero Waste certification.

Ready to turn insight into impact?

Connect with our team to see how Spare-it can help your organization achieve measurable sustainability results.