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.