ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Renewable energy sources, such as wind, flowing water,
solar energy and biomass, which create less environmental
damage and pollution than fossil fuels, and offer an
alternative to nonrenewable resources.
A natural degradable breakdown of an object under natural
conditions. Organic material capable of being converted into
basic compounds of elements by bacteria. Able to break
down or decompose rapidly under natural conditions and
Plastics made from corn, potato or other renewable source
which is compostable and biodegradable.
CAPTURE RATE
The percentage of generated secondary materials actually
recovered from a household or business.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
The amount (in tons) of carbon dioxide emitted through the
combustion of fossil fuels as part of everyday operations.
CARBON NEUTRAL
Process in which the net contribution of atmospheric carbon
from fossil fuel use is zero.
CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS (CFCs)
Family of inert, nontoxic and easily liquefied chemicals
manufactured for use as coolants, cleaning solvents, plastic,
aerosol propellants and foam insulation.
CLOSED LOOP
Production system in which the waste or byproduct of one
process or product is used in making another product. For
example, recycling waste newspaper to make paper-board
or other types of paper.
The collection of bagged recyclables together with other
municipal garbage, separated later for recycling or disposal.
Mixed recyclables that are collected or processed together.
A mixture of garbage, degradable trash and soil in which
bacteria in the soil breaks down the mixture into a soil
conditioner (not a fertilizer). It has high organic content but
low nitrogen.
The component materials used in the fabrication of
corrugated cardboard.
CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, OLD (OCC)
Unbleached, unwaxed kraft paper with ruffled inner liner. A
recyclable material used to manufacture cardboard boxes.
Computer scrap.
A system that handles solid waste from creation through
Corporate Social Responsibility.
CUBE UTILIZATION
The use of space within a storage area, trailer or container;
generally calculated as a ratio or percentage of total space.
Ability of materials to break down, by bacterial
(biodegradable) or ultraviolet (photodegradable) action.
DIVERSION CREDITS
A financial incentive provided to municipalities or private
recycling operations based on the tonnage diverted from the
waste stream.
ENERGY FROM WASTE
A recognized alternative process to reduction or recovery of
recyclable materials which are not currently economical.
Materials used to generate heat in chemical or other
FERROUS METALS (FE)
Magnetic metals which are predominantly composed of iron.
Fluorescent light bulbs.
FOSSIL FUELS
Solid, liquid or gaseous fuels formed in the ground over
millions of years by chemical and physical changes in plant
and animal resides under high temperature and pressure.
FRONT END SEPARATION
A system in which certain materials removed from the waste
stream are directed toward a specific recovery system such
as recycling or waste to energy incineration.
GAYLORD CONTAINER
The trade name for a large, reusable corrugated container
used for shipping materials.
Rating of waste or recyclable materials into homogenous
categories by type and quality.
GLOBAL WARMING
Increase in the surface temperature of the Earth as a result
of increased emissions of greenhouse gases.
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Warming of the Earth’s atmosphere due to a build-up of
carbon dioxide or other gasses.
GREENHOUSE GAS
Gases that occur naturally and as a result of human activity.
Natural gasses include water vapor, carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Gases generated by
human activity include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous
A size reduction technique that usually utilizes a series of
HEAVY METALS
Elements, including cadmium, mercury, lead and arsenic
which may be found in the waste stream as part of discarded
items (batteries, lighting fixtures, colorants, ink).
HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (HDPE)
Used to make plastic bottles, milk cartons and other
products. It produces toxic fumes when burned. SPI Resin
Symbol 2.
HIGH GRADE PAPER (HG)
Relatively valuable types of paper such as computer
printout, white ledger and tab cards.
The substance which results from decay of plant or animal
matter. Biodegradable matters form humus as they
Hazardous waste.
INDUSTRIAL SOURCE REDUCTION
Application of technology modification, raw material
substitution, and process improvement, to reduce the
amount and number of contaminants, hazardous
substances, and pollutants released into the environment.
INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommendation that
promotes solid waste management through an integrated
system that uses resource reduction, recycling, waste to
energy incineration and land filling to manage the
reclamation, reuse or disposal of plastics in the waste
INTERMEDIATE PROCESSING CENTER (IPC)
Facility that separates, cleans and bails or packages
materials for sale to manufacturers or brokers.
ISO 14000
A family of international standards for environmental
Kraft paper.
A private or municipal site where non-hazardous solid or
municipal waste is buried.
LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (LDPE)
SPI Resin Symbol 4.
LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS (LCA)
A process to compile and evaluate environmental impacts
associated with a product, process or activity through
identifying and quantifying energy and material used and
waste released to the environment. Analysis includes inputs
and outputs of the entire life cycle of the product, process, or
activity including raw material extracting and processing,
manufacturing, transportation and distribution, use, and
A paperboard used as the facing material in the production
of corrugated shipping containers.
Linear low density polyethylene.
LOW GRADE PAPER (LG)
Less valuable types of paper such as mixed office paper,
corrugated cardboard and newspaper.
MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY (MRF)
A recycling facility that sorts and processes collected mixed
recyclables into individual streams for market. Also known as
an intermediate processing center (IPC).
Medium density polyethylene.
MILL BROKE
Waste paper produced by mills during the paper making
process that has traditionally been reused in manufacturing
paper. It cannot be considered in the recycled content
according to U.S. EPA guidelines.
MINIMUM RECYCLED CONTENT LAWS
Laws requiring a product or type of packaging to contain a
certain percentage of recycled material.
The natural and gradual decomposition of dead organic
matter that has been evenly distributed in a thin layer on the
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MSW)
Residential and commercial trash and/or garbage generated
by a particular municipal area.
NEW SCRAP
Material which is discarded during a manufacturing or
processing operation and which cannot be directly fed back
to that operation.
NON FERROUS SCRAP METALS (NF)
Metals which contain no iron, such as aluminum, copper,
brass and bronze.
OFFICE PAPER
Waste paper generated by offices, including stationery,
photocopy and computer paper.
Old newspapers.
OZONE DEPLETION
Destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer of the earth's
atmosphere due to the release of chlorofluorocarbons, or
CFCs, into the environment.
A process where ultraviolet radiation degrades the chemical
bond or link in the polymer or chemical structure of a plastic.
POLYETHYLENE TERAPHTHALATE (PET)
A type of plastic that is clear or colored transparent with high
gloss. It is used for carbonated beverage bottles and some
household cleanser containers. SPI Resin Symbol 1.
POLYPROPILENE (PP)
Plastic with a smooth surface that cracks easily when bent
and is difficult to scratch. Typical uses are: battery cases,
dairy tubs, jar lids, straws and syrup bottles. It is hard to
collect in marketable quantities for recycling and has limited
uses in its recycled form. SPI Resin Symbol 5.
POLYSTYRENE (PS)
Plastic with a smooth surface that cracks easily when bent.
Used for fast food packaging, cups and packing peanuts, it
takes up a large part of landfill space because of its bulk.
SPI Resin Symbol 6.
POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)
Environmentally indestructible plastic that releases toxic
hydrochloric acid when burned. It is used for food wraps and
containers for personal care products. SPI Resin Symbol 3.
POST-CONSUMER WASTE
Discarded material from a residence or business after it has
completed its useful life; i.e. any household or commercial
product which has served its original, intended use.
PRE-CONSUMER WASTE
Discarded raw materials from manufacturing or industrial
process produced by converting operations and include any
scraps, trimmings, overruns, etc.
POST INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL
Industrial manufacturing scrap.
A company that processes post-consumer materials into
new products.
RECOVERED MATERIAL
Waste material and byproducts recovered or diverted from
solid waste, does not include materials and byproducts
generated from and commonly used within an original
manufacturing process. It includes both post-consumer and
pre-consumer waste.
Process, by which materials that would otherwise become
solid waste are collected, separated or processed and
returned to the economic mainstream to be reused in the
form of raw materials or finished goods.
REFUSE DERIVED FUEL (RDF)
Fuel produced by separating, shredding and processing
mixed wastes.
Ground up recyclable plastics.
The process of disassembly and reassembly of products
during which time parts are cleaned, repaired or replaced.
Operation of reforming reclaimed materials into new
RESIN IDENTIFICATION CODES
The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) introduced its
resin identification coding system in 1988. SPI coding
system offered a means of identifying the resin content of
bottles and containers commonly found in the residential
waste stream.
RESOURCE RECOVERY
Any process of obtaining matter or energy from materials
formerly discarded.
SOURCE REDUCTION
A reduction in the overall material used in the manufacture of
a product.
Preserving people, prosperity and the planet through social,
environmental and economically responsible decision
THERMOPLASTICS (TPO)
Plastics which can be reformed repeatedly by application of
heat and pressure.
Plastics which once molded cannot be reformed using heat
or pressure.
TIPPING FEE
Charge for the unloading or dumping of waste at a recycling
facility, composting facility, landfill, transfer station or waste
to energy facility.
VOLUME REDUCTION
Processing waste materials to decrease the amount of
space the materials occupy. It is accomplished by
mechanical, thermal or biological means.
Unwanted materials remaining from manufacturing
processes, or refuse from humans and animals.
WASTE EXCHANGE
The use by one company of an industrial waste generated
by another firm.
WASTE RECYCLING
A method of recovering waste as resources. It includes the
reuse of wastes or the collection and treatment of a waste
product for use as a replacement of all or part of the raw
material in the manufacturing process.
WASTE REDUCTION
The prevention of waste at its source.
WASTE STREAM
The flow of waste material from generation to disposal.
WASTE TO ENERGY INCINERATION
An alternative process to reduction or recovery of recyclable
materials which are not currently economical.
