Definition of Waste
Waste refers to the materials remaining from production processes or outputs that have no market value. Generally, there are various types of waste, including liquid, gaseous, medical, radioactive, and solid waste, such as paper, wood, metals, glass, and plastic. These materials often produce unpleasant odors caused by the biological decomposition of garbage.
Definition of Waste Management
Waste management encompasses all necessary steps to mitigate harmful effects on animals, humans, and the environment. It includes the processes of waste collection, transportation, treatment, disposal, responsible recycling, and monitoring of all garbage generated by human activity.
Waste Classification
The term “waste” includes all types of garbage resulting from the living activities of humans and other animals. Waste is generally classified as follows:
- Household Waste: Solid or semi-solid waste resulting from cooking, food preparation, and cleaning. This type is further divided into:
- Edible Waste: Suitable as animal feed, such as vegetables and food leftovers.
- Non-Edible Waste: Such as eggshells.
- Industrial Waste: Produced from discarded materials like plastic, wood, metals, glass, ash, and broken pottery. It is categorized into:
- Combustible Waste.
- Non-Combustible Waste.
Key Terms Related to Waste
Terminology in the waste sector varies between agencies, municipalities, and countries. Here are some important terms:
- Composting: The process of converting organic waste through biodegradation into soil-enhancing compost.
- Disposal: Refers to materials discarded with no intention of reuse in the future.
- Green Waste: Waste from tree cutting and paper or wood materials.
- Organic Waste: Biodegradable waste that can be converted into compost.
- Waste-to-Energy: The process of treating garbage as fuel in power plants to generate electricity and heat.
- Variable-Based Waste Fee (VBWF): Fees charged for waste disposal based on volume, typically used to fund waste management processes.
