What Is Solid Waste(1)

WHAT IS SOLID WASTE? Solid waste is all garbage, trash and other discarded solid materials resulting from residential, commercial (These include everything from plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and rubber tires to yard trimmings, food wastes, and discarded appliances), agriculture and other human activities.

Types of Solid Waste Solid waste includes garbage, rubbish, refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility, and other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semisolid, or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, municipal, commercial, mining, and agricultural operations and from community and institutional activities. Municipal Solid Waste Municipal solid waste is solid waste resulting from municipal, community, commercial, institutional, and recreational activities; it includes garbage, rubbish, ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, medical waste, and all other non industrial solid waste. Industrial Solid Waste Industrial solid waste is solid waste resulting from or incidental to any process of industry, manufacturing, mining, or agricultural operations. Industrial solid waste is classified as either hazardous or non hazardous. Hazardous Waste Knowing what makes a waste hazardous is important for understanding why it should be reduced or eliminated, and for selecting less-hazardous alternatives. Characteristic A waste may be considered hazardous if it exhibits any one of the following characteristics: ignitable, corrosive, reactive, and toxic. •

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Ignitable - An ignitable characteristic waste is a liquid with a flash point (see Glossary for definition) below 140oF; a non-liquid capable of causing fire through friction, absorption of moisture, or spontaneous chemical changes; and/or a flammable compressed gas. Examples include solvents and mineral spirits. Corrosive - A corrosive characteristic waste is an aqueous-based liquid with a pH less than or equal to 2.0 (strong acid) or a pH greater than or equal to 12.5 (strong base). Examples include battery acid and alkaline cleaning solvents. Reactive - Reactive characteristic wastes are unstable or undergo violent chemical reactions when combined with water or other materials. Examples include hydrogen sulfide and bleaches. 1

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Toxic - A toxic characteristic waste is hazardous due to the presence of metals or organic compounds. A test, called the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), simulates leaching of the contaminant through a landfill environment and into groundwater. There are 40 constituents that EPA has established concentration limits for in the TCLP test. Examples include wastes with high metal (lead, silver, etc.) content, such as hot tank wastes.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) MSW—more commonly known as trash or garbage—consists of everyday items such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries. Several MSW management practices, such as source reduction, recycling, and composting, prevent or divert materials from the waste stream. Source reduction involves altering the design, manufacture, or use of products and materials to reduce the amount and toxicity of what gets thrown away. Recycling diverts items, such as paper, glass, plastic, and metals, from the waste stream. These materials are sorted, collected, and processed and then manufactured, sold, and bought as new products. Composting decomposes organic waste, such as food scraps and yard trimmings, with microorganisms (mainly bacteria and fungi), producing a humus-like substance. Across the country, many communities, businesses, and individuals have found creative ways to reduce and better manage Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) - more commonly known as trash or garbage - through a coordinated mix of practices that includes source reduction, recycling (including composting), and disposal. The most environmentally sound management of MSW is achieved when these approaches are implemented according to EPA's preferred order: source reduction first, recycling and composting second, and disposal in landfills or waste combustors last. 8How is MSW managed? Waste is properly managed three ways. We recycle it, burn it in a MSW incinerator or dispose of it in a MSW landfill. The latter is the most common. WHAT ARE THE EFECTS OF IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE? The type and amount of solid waste generated today combined with improper disposal methods, increases the risk of adverse health effects in humans and animals, causes damage to eco- systems and accelerate the destruction of the environment. Some of these environmental effects are:
Pollution of surface and ground water
Clogging of drains.
Open decomposition (rotting) that can lead to the development of unpleasant odour.
Scavenging.
Breeding of vectors e.g. flies and rats.
Increase risk of diseases such as: Typhoid- Malaria- Yellow fever
Litters the land and makes it look ugly.

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What is the solid waste management hierarchy?

The four-tier solid waste management hierarchy ranks the most preferable ways to address solid waste. Source reduction or waste prevention, which includes reuse, is the best approach (tier one), followed by recycling (tier 2). Waste that cannot be prevented or recycled can be combusted with energy recovery (tier 3). Tier 4 is land filling or incineration without energy recovery. Both of these disposal options take place according to proper regulations. Why is source reduction at the top of the hierarchy? Because the best approach to managing solid waste is to avoid creating it in the first place. This means reducing the amount of trash you discard and reusing containers and products instead of throwing them away. Once waste is created, recycling, which includes composting, is one of the most effective methods of reducing the amount of material in the waste stream. If waste cannot be recycled, incineration or sanitary landfilling are the next preferred methods of treatment. Is recycling worthwhile? Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. As a matter of fact, collecting recyclable materials is just the first step in a series of actions that generate a host of financial, environmental, and societal returns. There are several key benefits to recycling. Recycling: • • • • •

Protects and expands US manufacturing jobs and increases US competitiveness in the global marketplace. Reduces the need for land filling and incineration. Saves energy and prevents pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials and the manufacture of products using virgin materials. Decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. Helps sustain the environment for future generations.

Recycling not only makes sense from an environmental standpoint, but also makes good financial sense. For example, creating aluminum cans from recycled aluminum is far less energy-intensive, and less costly, than mining the raw materials and manufacturing new cans from scratch. 3

What costs my community more—recycling or throwing trash away?

The answer to this question will vary depending on where you live, and comparing recycling program and waste disposal costs is a complex undertaking. Disposal fees for landfills, waste transfer stations, and incinerators vary across the country, but in many areas, particularly on the heavily populated East Coast, they are significant expenses. Costs and returns for recycling programs also vary greatly, depending on the local resources and demand for the recovered materials. Recycling does cost money, but so does waste disposal. Communities must pay to collect trash and manage a landfill or incinerator and so also should expect to pay for recycling. Assessing how recycling will impact your community requires a full appraisal of the environmental and economic benefits and costs of recycling, as compared to the one-way consumption of resources from disposing of used products and packaging in landfills and incinerators. Analyzing all of these factors together will help you determine if recycling is more cost effective in your community. If there is plenty of landfill space, then why should I recycle? Recycling offers a host of environmental, economic, and societal benefits. While landfill space is plentiful on the national level, some areas particularly the heavily populated East Coast have less landfill capacity and higher landfill costs. What effects do waste prevention and recycling have on global warming?

Everyone knows that reducing waste is good for the environment because it conserves natural resources. What many people don't know is that solid waste reduction and recycling also have an impact on global climate change. Greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the upper atmosphere, occur naturally and help create climates that sustain life on our planet. Increased concentrations of these gases can contribute to rising global temperatures, sea level changes, and other climate changes. Waste prevention and recycling—jointly referred to as waste reduction—help us better manage the solid waste we generate.

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Reducing waste is a potent strategy for reducing greenhouse gases because it can: Reduce emissions from energy consumption. Recycling saves energy. Manufacturing goods from recycled materials typically requires less energy than producing goods from virgin materials. When people reuse goods or when products are made with less material, less energy is needed to extract, transport, and process raw materials and to manufacture products. When energy demand decreases, fewer fossil fuels are burned and less carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. Reduce emissions from incinerators. Recycling and waste prevention divert materials from incinerators and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions from waste combustion. Reduce methane emissions from landfills. Waste prevention and recycling (including composting) divert organic wastes from landfills, reducing the methane that would be released if these materials decomposed in a landfill. Increase storage of carbon in forests. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in wood in a process called "carbon sequestration." Waste prevention and recycling paper products allows more trees to remain standing in the forest, where they can continue to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. What materials are not safe to throw in my trash?

Chances are, there are certain items or products in your house that you should not throw out in the trash. Many common household items, such as paint, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides, contain hazardous components. Leftover portions of these products are called household hazardous waste (HHW). These products, if mishandled, can be dangerous to human health and the environment. Certain types of HHW can cause physical injury to sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems if poured down drains or toilets, and present hazards to children and pets if left around the house. Some communities have special programs that allow residents to dispose of HHW separately. Others allow disposal of properly prepared HHW in trash, particularly those areas that do not yet have special HHW collection programs in place. Call your local Department of Sanitation or Department of Public Works for instructions on proper disposal. Follow their instructions and also read product labels for disposal directions to reduce the risk of products exploding, igniting, leaking, mixing with other chemicals, or posing other hazards on the way to a disposal facility. Even empty containers that used to contain HHW can pose hazards because of the residual chemicals inside. How do I know what materials are recyclable in my community, and where can I take these materials to be recycled? Following is a short list of the most common materials that are recycled in many communities: 5

Paper: Newspaper is almost always recovered in community recycling programs. Some communities also collect white and colored paper (sometimes combined as "mixed paper") and used cardboard boxes, such as cereal boxes. Plastics: Not all communities recycle all types of plastic. Investigate your community's plastic collection through the resources listed above. Most communities recycle plastic items such as detergent bottles, beverage containers (e.g., soda, milk, and juice), and containers for various household products, from shampoo, lotion, and mouthwash containers to plastic peanut butter containers. Also, many grocery stores collect used plastic grocery bags on site for recycling. Aluminum: Almost all recycling programs include aluminum beverage cans. One of the most highly recycled products, aluminum cans are made into new cans in as little as 90 days after they are collected. Some communities also collect aluminum foil for recycling. Steel: Many steel products manufactured in the United States contain a high percentage of recycled steel. Some are even made from 100 percent recycled steel. Many communities collect soup cans and other steel food packaging containers, as well as steel aerosol cans, for recycling. Glass: Glass food containers, such as jars and bottles for pickles, juice, jam, or wine, are usually recyclable in many communities. Yard Trimmings/Food Scraps: Many communities have regular or seasonal programs in place to collect yard trimmings, such as leaves, branches, and grass clippings, from residents. Other communities encourage residents to practice backyard composting for yard trimmings and food scraps. What happens to my recyclables after I put them out at the curbside?

After you put your recyclables out on the curb, they begin a circular journey during which they are processed and manufactured into new recycled-content products, which are sold in stores to consumers, who can then repeat the process. Below is a brief summary of the three phases of the recycling loop. Recycling Process Collecting and processing secondary materials, manufacturing recycled-content products, and then purchasing recycled products creates a circle or loop that ensures the overall success and value of recycling. 6

Step 1. Collection and Processing Collecting recyclables varies from community to community, but there are four primary methods: curbside, drop-off centers, buy-back centers, and deposit/refund programs. Regardless of the method used to collect the recyclables, the next leg of their journey is usually the same. Recyclables are sent to a materials recovery facility to be sorted and prepared into marketable commodities for manufacturing. Step 2. Manufacturing Once cleaned and separated, the recyclables are ready to undergo the second part of the recycling loop. More and more of today's products are being manufactured with total or partial recycled content. Common household items that contain recycled materials include newspapers and paper towels; aluminum, plastic, and glass soft drink containers; steel cans; and plastic laundry detergent bottles. Step 3. Purchasing Recycled Products Purchasing recycled products completes the recycling loop. By "buying recycled," governments, as well as businesses and individual consumers, each play an important role in making the recycling process a success. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Produce Less Waste by Practicing the 3 Rs: Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you discard. Reuse containers and products; repair what is broken or give it to someone who can repair it. Recycle as much as possible, which includes buying products with recycled content.

Reduce Waste prevention, or "source reduction," means consuming and throwing away less. It includes: • • •

purchasing durable, long-lasting goods; seeking products and packaging that are as free of toxics as possible; redesigning products to use less raw material in production, have a longer life, or be used again after its original use.

Source reduction actually prevents the generation of waste in the first place, so it is the most preferred method of waste management and goes a long way toward protecting the environment.

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Reuse Reusing items -- by repairing them, donating them to charity and community groups, or selling them -also reduces waste. Reusing products, when possible, is even better than recycling because the item does not need to be reprocessed before it can be used again.

Ways to Reuse • • • • • •

Using durable coffee mugs. Using cloth napkins or towels. Refilling bottles. Donating old magazines or surplus equipment. Reusing boxes. Turning empty jars into containers for leftover food.

Recycle Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. Reduces the need for new landfills and incinerators. Recycling prevents the emission of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants, saves energy, supplies valuable raw materials to industry, creates jobs, stimulates the development of greener technologies, conserves resources for our children's future, and reduces the need for new landfills and combustors.

Benefits of Recycling • • • • • •

Conserves resources for our children's future. Prevents emissions of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants. Saves energy. Supplies valuable raw materials to industry. Creates jobs. Stimulates the development of greener technologies.

Composting Another form of recycling is composting. Composting is the controlled biological decomposition of organic matter, such as food and yard wastes, into humus, a soil-like material. Composting is nature's way of recycling organic waste into new soil, which can be used in vegetable and flower gardens.

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Benefits of Composting • • • • • • •

Keeps organic wastes out of landfills. Provides nutrients to the soil. Increases beneficial soil organisms . Suppresses certain plant diseases. Reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Protects soils from erosion. Assists pollution remediation.

Household Hazardous Waste Common household items such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides contain hazardous components. One way to help determine if your household waste has hazardous components is to read the labels on products. Labels that read "danger," "warning," "caution," "toxic," "corrosive," "flammable," or "poison" identify products that might contain hazardous materials. Leftover portions of these products are called household hazardous waste (HHW). These products, if mishandled, can be dangerous to your health and the environment. Landfills/Land Disposal Although source reduction, reuse, and recycling divert large portions of waste from disposal, some waste still must be placed in landfills. It is a large outdoor site specifically designed for the disposal of waste. Landfills are carefully designed structures built into or on top of the ground in which waste is isolated from the surrounding environment (e.g., groundwater, rain, air). There are different kinds of landfills that accept different kinds of waste. There are industrial waste landfills, hazardous waste landfills, construction and demolition debris landfills and municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. Why do we need any MSW landfills? Waste reduction, reuse and recycling divert large parts of our waste from MSW landfills, but not all of it. In addition, we keep making more waste each year. That waste must be managed safely to protect human health and the environment. 8What is MSW? Different states have different definitions, but MSW is commonly defined as household trash or garbage. This includes paper, cans, bottles and food scraps. MSW landfills are designed to accept these types of waste – much of which should be recycled – along with other specific kinds of waste. Non hazardous Waste Non hazardous waste includes all solid waste that does not meet the definition of hazardous waste. Non hazardous wastes include: 1-Batteries Batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when batteries are improperly disposed.

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2-Cement Kiln Dust CKD is a fine dust generated during the cement production process. 3-Construction & Demolition Debris C&D debris consists of the materials generated during the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges. 4-Crude Oil and Gas Waste Crude oil and gas waste are the wastes associated with the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas resources. 5-Industrial Waste Industrial waste consists of the approximately 7.6 billion tons of non hazardous waste produced by industries in the United States each year. 6-Medical Waste Medical waste consists of any solid waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals. 7-Mineral Processing Waste Mineral Processing is the process by which the valuable minerals are separated from the native ore. 8-Municipal Solid Waste MSW, or trash or garbage, is the waste generated by households and commercial institutions. It consists of everyday items such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries. 9-Organic Materials Comprised of yard trimmings, food scraps, wood waste, and paper and paperboard products, organic materials are the largest component of our trash. Reducing, reusing, and recycling are key to diverting organic materials from landfills or incinerators. 10-Scrap Tires Scrap tires are used automotive tires that are destined for disposal.

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More than Just 3-Rs!  The 3Rs, "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" is quite well known, but is it enough? Do we need a larger and deeper outlook at the global environment, and the impact that urban areas are having on it? A quick scan of a dictionary showed a number of "R"s that we need to look out for, listed below in alphabetical order. Many are, of course, interrelated and address similar approaches to environmental management.  Note that the word "resource" is used in a very broad sense and can include both living and nonliving/natural and man-made resources of an urban environment. It can be a practice, an attitude, or a convention. In explaining the different Rs, lifestyle issues, consumption patterns, green consumerism, and community participation issues were taken into account. It is a fun way to rethink and redo the basic 3 Rs! And find even more Rs in the descriptions!!  RECLAIM: Improve, get back and/or make operationable once again, wasted or degraded resources - for example, in the case of degraded or unuseable land or derelict buildings.  RECONSIDER: Used in relation to sustainable living: reconsider the need for a wasteful living lifestyle, the overuse of resources and redundent materials -- in order to have a minimum impact on the environment.  RECOVER: Salvage or recoup the usefulness of a resource. Also bring a resource back to its original or improved functioning state.  REFORM: Improve on a resource -- remove and rectify its misapplication or misuse. Change attitudes and practices in its use, so as to preserve and protect the resource.  REFUSE: Used in the sense to reject or not accept a lifestyle that is wasteful, over consumes, and destroys the environment. Can also be 'refuse to create refuse'!  REGENERATE: Invest in a resource to improve, revive and rejuvenate it. Regenerate a resource to make it useful once again.  REGULATE: Control and restrict resource use with prescribed rules and norms -- particularly in the case of non-renewable resources. It can also include the management and monitoring of such resources to prevent misuse and degradation.  REPAIR: Quite simply, mechines and technologies that are in a bad condition or in a state of deterioration (uses more resources and emits) more waste that normal) need to be repaired to make it more efficient with less environmental impacts.  RESPECT: Maintain a healthy and humble respect for the environment. Understand its fragility and vulnerability to indiscriminate use and abuse. Also respect and understand nature's 'backlash' in such cases!  RESTORE: Reinstall and return to the environment the resources that were taken from it. Restoring also refers to the return of resources to its natural state.  RESTRICT: Curtail and control the indiscriminate and wasteful use of natural resources. It can also mean the confinement of resources use within levels below which it can be regenerated and regulated.

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Solid Waste Management [Glossary] Aerobic composting A method of com-posting organic wastes using bacteria that need oxygen. This requires that the waste be exposed to air, either via turning or by forcing air through pipes that pass through the material. Anaerobic digestion a method of composting that does not require oxygen. This composting method produces methane. Also known as anaerobic composting. Biodegradable material Any organic material that can be broken down by microorganisms into simpler, more stable compounds. Most organic wastes (e.g., food, paper) are biodegradable. Cleaner production Processes designed to reduce the wastes generated by production. Co-disposal The disposal of different types of waste in one area of a landfill or dump. For instance, sewage sludges may be disposed of with regular solid wastes. Compost The material resulting from com posting. Compost, also called humus, is a soil conditioner and in some instances is used as a fertilizer. Composting Biological decomposition of solid organic materials by bacteria, fungi, and other organisms into a soil-like product. Controlled dump A planned landfill that incorporates to some extent some of the features of a sanitary landfill: siting with respect to hydrogeological suitability, grading, compaction in some cases, leachate control, partial gas management, regular (not usually daily) cover, access control, basic recordkeeping, and controlled waste picking. Disposal Disposal is the placement of waste into or on the land. Disposal facilities are usually designed to permanently contain the waste and prevent the release of harmful pollutants to the environment. The final handling of solid waste, following collection, processing, or incineration. Disposal most often means placement of wastes in a dump or a landfill. Energy recovery The process of extracting useful energy from waste, typically from the heat produced by incineration or via methane gas from landfills. Garbage In everyday usage, refuse in general. Some MSWM manuals use garbage to mean "food wastes," although this usage is not common. Hazardous waste Waste that is reactive, toxic, corrosive, or otherwise dangerous to living things and/or the environment. Many industrial by-products are hazardous. Household hazardous waste Products used in residences, such as paints and some cleaning compounds, that are toxic to living organisms and/or the environment. Humus The end product of composting, also called compost.

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Incineration The process of burning solid waste under controlled conditions to reduce its weight and volume, and often to produce energy. Inorganic waste Waste composed of material other than plant or animal matter, such as sand, dust, glass, and many synthetics. Landfill gases Gases arising from the decomposition of organic wastes; principally methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. Such gases may cause explosions at landfills. Land filling The final disposal of solid waste by placing it in a controlled fashion in a place intended to be permanent. The Source Book uses this term for both controlled dumps and sanitary landfllls. Leachate Liquid (which may be partly produced by deromposition of organic matter) that has seeped through a landfill or a compost pile and has accumulated bacteria and other possibly harmful dissolved or suspended materials. If uncontrolled, leachate can contaminate both groundwater and surface water. Leachate pond A pond or tank constructed at a landfill to receive the leachate from the area. Usually the pond is designed to provide some treatment of the leachate, by allowing settlement of solids or by aeration to promote biological processes. Methane An odorless, colorless, flammable, explosive gas, CH,, produced by anaerobically decomposing MSW at landfills. Mono fill A landfill intended for one type of waste only. Municipal solid waste All solid waste generated in an area except industrial and agricultural wastes. Sometimes includes construction and demolition debris and other special wastes that may enter the municipal waste stream. Generally excludes hazardous wastes except to the extent that they enter the municipal waste stream. Municipal solid waste management Planning and implementation of systems to handle MSW. Open dump An unplanned "landfill" that incorporates few if any of the characteristics of a controlled landfill. There is typically no leachate control, no access control, no cover, no management, and many waste pickers. Organic waste Technically, waste containing carbon, including paper, plastics, wood, food wastes, and yard wastes. In practice in MSWM, the term is often used in a more restricted sense to mean material that is more directly derived from plant or animal sources, and which can generally be decomposed by microorganisms. Pollution The contamination of soil, water, or the atmosphere by the discharge of waste or other offensive materials. Processing Preparing MSW materials for subsequent use or management, using processes such as baling, magnetic separation, crushing, and shredding. The term is also sometimes used to mean separation of recyclables from mixed MSW. Recyclables 13

Items that can be reprocessed into feedstock for new products. Common examples are paper, glass, aluminum, corrugated cardboard, and plastic containers. Recycling The process of transforming materials into raw materials for manufacturing new products, which may or may not be similar to the original product. Refuse A term often used interchangeably with solid waste. Sanitary landfill An engineered method of disposing of solid waste on land, in a manner that meets most of the standard specifications, including sound siting, extensive site preparation, proper leachate and gas management and monitoring, compaction, daily and final cover, complete access control, and record-keeping. Transfer station A major facility at which MSW from collection vehicles is consolidated into loads that are transported by larger trucks or other means to more distant final disposal facilities, typically landfills. Vectors Organisms that carry diseasecausing pathogens. At landfills rodents, flies, and birds are the main vectors that spread pathogens beyond the landfill site. Virgin materials Any basic material for industrial processes that has not previously been used, for example, woodpulp trees, iron ore, crude oil, bauxite. Waste collector A person employed by a local authority or a private firm to collect waste from residences, businesses, and community bins. Waste management hierarchy A ranking of waste management operations according to their environmental or energy benefits. The purpose of the waste management hierarchy is to make waste management practices as environmentally sound as possible. Waste picker A person who picks out recyclables from mixed waste wherever it may be temporarily accessible or disposed of. Waste reduction All means of reducing the amount of waste that is produced initially and that must be collected by solid waste authorities. Yard waste Leaves, grass clippings, and other natural organic matter discarded from yards and gardens.

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