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Recycling Terms

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A

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B

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Biodegradable

Able to break down or decompose rapidly under natural conditions and processes.

Buyback Centers

Locations where consumers can drop off recyclables and receive payment for them.

C

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Compost

Nature’s way of recycling, and refers to a solid waste management technique that uses natural processes to convert organic materials to humus through the action of microorganisms. Compost is a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land.

Conservation

The wise use of natural resources (nutrients, minerals, water, plants, animals, etc.) and planned action or non-action, to preserve or protect living and non-living resources.

Contaminant

Any item or material that reduces the quality of paper for recycling or makes it unrecyclable, such as metal, foil, glass, plastic, stickies, food, hazardous waste, carbon paper, waxed boxes, and synthetic fabrics. Collecting paper co-mingled with other recyclables may increase contaminants.

D

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E

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Ecology

The branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions between organisms and their environment, including other organisms.

Environment

All of the biotic and abiotic factors that act on an organism, population, or ecological community and influence its survival and development. Biotic factors include the organisms themselves, their food, and their interactions. Abiotic factors include such items as sunlight, soil, air, water, climate, and pollution.

F

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G

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H

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Humus

The stable, long lasting organic material resulting from decomposition of plant or animal matter which forms the organic portion of the soil.

I

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J

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K

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L

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Landfill

A disposal site where solid waste, such as paper, glass, and metal, is buried between layers of dirt and other materials in such a way as to reduce contamination of the surrounding land. Modern landfills are often lined with layers of absorbent material and sheets of plastic to keep pollutants from leaking into the soil and water, which is also called sanitary landfill.

Landfill Gas

Municipal solid waste contains significant portions of organic materials that produce a variety of gaseous products when dumped, compacted, and covered in landfills. Anaerobic bacteria thrives in the oxygen-free environment, resulting in the decomposition of the organic materials and the production of primarily carbon dioxide and methane. Carbon dioxide is likely to leach out of the landfill because it is soluble in water. Methane, on the other hand, which is less soluble in water and lighter than air, is likely to migrate out of the landfill. Landfill gas energy facilities capture the methane (the principal component of natural gas) and combust it for energy.

Because some materials have higher heat content than others, the amount of energy that can be produced by combusting MSW is a function of the composition of the waste stream. For example, certain types of plastics have more than three times the heat content of yard trimmings or organic textiles. In general, combustible non-biogenic materials are characterized by higher heat contents per unit weight than combustible biogenic materials. Thus, the ratio of biogenic to non-biogenic material volumes can have a considerable effect on the heat content of the waste stream.

M

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Minimum Recycled Content Laws

Laws requiring a product or type of packaging to contain a certain percentage of recycled material.

Municiple Solid Waste

The municipal solid waste industry has four components: recycling, composting, landfilling, and waste-to-energy via incineration. Municipal solid waste is total waste excluding industrial waste, agricultural waste, and sewage sludge. As defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it includes durable goods, non-durable goods, containers and packaging, food wastes, yard wastes, and miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sources. Examples from these categories include: appliances, newspapers, clothing, food scrapes, boxes, disposable tableware, office and classroom paper, wood pallets, rubber tires, and cafeteria wastes. Waste-to-energy combustion and landfill gas are byproducts of municipal solid waste.

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O

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P

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Post Consumer Material

Any household or commercial product which has served its original, intended use.

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R

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Recycled content

The portion of a product or package that contains materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream either during the manufacturing process or after consumer use. Many paper products are made with 100% recycled content.

Recycling

Term used to describe a series of activities that includes collecting recyclable materials that would otherwise be considered waste, sorting and processing recyclables into raw materials such as fibers, and manufacturing the raw materials into new products.