Business Waste Reduction

Solid Waste Terms and Definitions

Many people are confused by solid waste terms, especially terms like "waste reduction," that have evolved recently. Below are working definitions that aim to alleviate confusion and help us all communicate clearly with each other.

Closing the Loop: Refers to buying products that contain recycled content, including materials containing postconsumer content.

Composting: The biological decomposition of organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, brush, and food waste into a soil amendment.

Grasscycling: The practice of leaving grass clippings on the lawn while mowing, which allows the nutrients to return into the soil.

Postconsumer Content: The portion of a product's content that is made from material (e.g., paper, plastic) that was consumed and recycled by a business or residence. This contrasts with recycled content that consists of scrap produced in the manufacturing process.

Precycling: Making purchasing decisions that will reduce waste, such as buying goods with less packaging (e.g., goods in bulk or concentrated form), choosing products that will last longer, and avoiding single-use or disposable products. Buying recycled is also included in precycling campaigns.

Pollution Prevention: Avoiding the production of all forms of pollution, including toxics and other pollutants emitted into air, water, and land, as a preferable alternative to cleaning up pollution that has already occurred.

Recycling: The process of collecting, sorting, cleansing, treating, and reconstituting materials that would otherwise become solid waste, and returning them to the economic mainstream in the form of raw material for new or reconstituted products which meet the quality standards necessary to be used in the marketplace.

Reuse: To use something over again in it's current form, i.e., without breaking it down into a raw material.

Source Reduction: See Waste Prevention.

Waste Diversion: The combined efforts of waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and composting practices.

Waste Minimization: Refers to eliminating, reducing, and recycling of hazardous waste.

Waste Prevention: Any action undertaken by an individual or organization to eliminate or reduce the amount or toxicity of materials before they enter the municipal solid waste stream. This action is intended to conserve resources, promote efficiency, and reduce pollution. The CIWMB uses this term instead of source reduction since we have found it is easier for the public to understand.

Waste Reduction: The combined efforts of waste prevention, reuse, composting, and recycling practices. (Note: some organizations use this term synonymously with waste prevention, while others do not).

Worm Composting: The process whereby worms feed on slowly decomposing materials (e.g., vegetable scraps) in a controlled environment to produce a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Vermicomposting: See worm composting.

Xeriscaping: The practice of landscaping with slow-growing, drought-tolerant plants.

For More Help:

• For information on how to compost, grasscycle, worm compost, start a waste reduction program and much more, see Waste Prevention World on line, or call the California Integrated Waste Board's Waste Prevention staff at (916) 341-6585.
• For the name of your local recycling coordinator, call the CIWMB's Office of Local Assistance at (916) 341-6585.
• CIWMB's Waste Prevention Information Exchange at (916) 341-6363. The Info Exchange has sample outreach materials from other organizations and offers technical assistance.

Publication #500-94-039

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Last updated: October 21, 2007