Ranks waste management options according to what is best for the environment.
Prevention
Using less material in design and manufacture, keeping products for longer, reuse, using less hazardous materials, improved quality control and process monitoring, food use-by dates, and education on food waste.
Preparation for Reuse
Items need to be prepared. Includes checking, cleaning, repairing, refurbishing, and using either the whole item or its parts.
Recycling
Turning waste into a new substance or product, including composting.
Open Loop Recycling
A loss of quality often occurs with each recycling cycle, limiting the number of times the material can be recycled. Eventually it cant be recycled and will become waste.
Closed Loop Recycling
A product can be recycled indefinitely back into itself without any impact on quality. For example aluminium.
Recovery of Energy and Materials from Waste
When dispersed materials are used to recover some of their energy. When waste is incinerated it gives off heat which can be used for heating steam, turning turbines and creating electricity.
Disposal
The least sustainable option is when waste is disposed of in a landfill site, where its buried or burned without energy recovery.
