Glossary

• Circular Economy

  An approach where resources, waste, emissions, and energy loss are minimised through use of long-lasting design, maintenance, repair, reuse, reprocessing, and recycling.
• Closed Loop Recycling

  Recycling of a material indefinitely without degradation of products
• Energy Recovery

  The conversion of non-recyclable waste materials into usable heat, electricity, or fuel through processes such as combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, or landfill gas recovery.
• Food Use by Date

  Foods can be eaten up until stated use-by date but not after, providing storage instructions stated on the packaging have been followed correctly.
• Globalisation

  The process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of massively increased trade and cultural exchange.
• Incineration

  Controlled burning at high temperatures, reducing waste in mass and/or volume and converting it into ash.
• Landfill

  The disposal of waste material by burying it in a pit.
• Life Cycle Analysis

  A systematic quantitative assessment for products or processes that identifies and quantifies the inputs and outputs for a whole life cycle or individual stages. It assesses all energy, materials, and transport involved in making, using, and disposing of a product.
• Linear Economy

  An economy based on 'produce, use, and throw' with no attempt at recovery of materials or energy.
• Liquor

  The liquid remaining once sewage sludge has been removed. Must be processed further before being released to the environment as effluent.
• Obsolescence

  The process of falling into disuse or becoming out of date.
• Open Loop Recycling

  The process of converting a material from one or more products into a new product, involving a change in the properties of the material.
• Planned Obsolescence

  This is when a product is designed to have an artificially limited life span.
• Psychological Obsolescence

  This is when a consumer is persuaded that they need a new product even when their existing product is working well.
• Technological Obsolescence

  This is when a new technology or product supersedes the old, even if the old technology is still functional.
• Waste Hierarchy

  A ranking of waste management options according to what is best for the environment. Gives top priority to waste prevention. When waste is created, it gives priority to preparing it for reuse, then recycling, then energy recovery, with disposal to landfill as a last resort.
• Waste Prevention

  The process of minimising the quantity and hazardousness of waste.
• Waste Recovery

  The selective extraction of disposed materials for a specific next use, such as recycling, composting, or energy generation.
• Waste Recycling

  Reprocessing materials into new products.
• Waste Reuse

  The process of refilling or finding another use for a product without processing it other than cleaning.