Waste

Waste and wastes are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance which is discarded after primary use, or it is worthless, defective and of no use.

The term is often subjective (because waste to one person is not necessarily waste to another) and sometimes objectively inaccurate (for example, to send scrap metals to a landfill is to inaccurately classify them as waste, because they are recyclable). Examples include municipal solid waste (household trash/refuse), hazardous waste, wastewater (such as sewage, which contains bodily wastes (feces and urine) and surface runoff), radioactive waste, and others.

Definitions

United Nations Environment Program

According to the Basel Convention,

United Nations Statistics Division, Glossary of Environment Statistics

European Union

Under the Waste Framework Directive, the European Union defines waste as "an object the holder discards, intends to discard or is required to discard."

Types

There are many waste types defined by modern systems of waste management, notably including:

Latest News for: Waste plastic recycle

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Five Firms in Plastic Pollution Alliance 'Made 1,000 Times More Plastic Than They Cleaned Up'

Slashdot 20 Nov 2024
They promised to divert 15m tonnes of plastic waste from the environment in five years to the end of 2023, by improving collection and recycling, and creating a circular economy ... The waste plastic was diverted mostly by mechanical or chemical recycling, the use of landfill, or waste to fuel, AEPW documents state....
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Five firms in plastic pollution alliance ‘made 1,000 times more plastic than they cleaned up’

The Guardian 20 Nov 2024
They promised to divert 15m tonnes of plastic waste from the environment in five years to the end of 2023, by improving collection and recycling, and creating a ......
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Bali plastic recycling scheme swamped with garbage

The Guardian 20 Nov 2024
It works with partner organisations in developing countries to support community initiatives to collect and recycle plastic waste....
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On to the next disappointing summit

The Manila Times 20 Nov 2024
Even the best recycling technology that we have, pyrolysis, only converts about 11 percent by mass of plastic waste into basic polymers that can be used to make new products ... The best we can do is continue to work on improving solid waste management systems, improving the ......
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The best trash cans to keep your space clean

Sun Sentinel 20 Nov 2024
A good-quality waste receptacle holds everything until you can take out the trash ... Different types of waste. Waste comes in two different types ... Many communities make it easy to recycle dry waste, and you may want to consider getting one trash can for garbage, another for paper productsand a third for glass and plastics....
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Zurich Collaborates with Negawatt and Cornerstone Technologies to Drive Sustainability Efforts and Build a Thriving Green Ecosystem

Vietnam News 20 Nov 2024
This fosters the development of daily sustainable habits and reduces carbon emissions ... For example, participants can earn ZERO2 points and redeem rewards by engaging in community recycling projects, embracing plastic-free lifestyle, and reducing household energy waste, in recognition of their dedication to renewable energies ... 1 ... Points Rewards. ... ^Note....
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Department of Natural Resources Celebrates Wisconsin Recycling Excellence Award Winners

Scrap Monster 19 Nov 2024
In addition to landfill-banned items, which include curbside recyclables and electronics, the winners diverted many tons of food waste, furniture, plastic film and household hazardous waste for reuse or recycling ... The plastic was delivered to Trex, a manufacturer of composite lumber made of recycled plastic, in exchange for free benches....
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The future is waste-free, SM Prime leads the way

Manila Bulletin 19 Nov 2024
SM Prime's vision for a waste-free future encompasses overall waste reduction, reuse, and recycling ... This campaign is the latest in a long list of waste reduction initiatives, including the pioneering Trash to Cash recycling market, Plastic Waste Collection, and Electronic Waste Collection programs in SM Supermalls....
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The US no longer supports capping plastic production in UN treaty

Grist 19 Nov 2024
agreed to negotiate two years ago to “end plastic pollution.” Delegates haven’t agreed on whether the pact should focus on managing plastic waste — through things like ocean cleanups and higher recycling rates — or on tamping down the growing rate of plastic production ... Another apparent change in the U.S.’s strategy is on chemicals used in plastics....
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How is Baku delivering a sustainable conference at COP29?

Arab News 19 Nov 2024
... and recycling systems, the challenges of delivering a sustainable conference are complex, and not to be underestimated ... Using Baku’s modern waste management facility, we are capable of locally sorting plastic, glass and paper, to ensure all materials are correctly recycled....
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Sustainability: CWAY Donates Plastic Recycling Bins to Lagos State

This Day 18 Nov 2024
CWAY Water, a leading producer of top quality premium drinking water in Nigeria has its commitment to environmental sustainability by donating sets of giant plastic recycling bins to the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) ... one for general waste and one for recyclable waste....
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New York’s plastic lawsuit against PepsiCo has been dismissed. What’s next?

Grist 18 Nov 2024
... manufacturing companies, and two lawsuits in California — one from the state attorney general’s office and one from a coalition of environmental nonprofits — allege that Exxon Mobil promoted plastics recycling despite knowing it would be unable to keep pace with waste generation....

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