NAME: _____________________________________________________ DATE: ________ CLASS: ___________

Waste-Related Vocabulary
Sample Answers
Instructions
In order to get a better understanding of waste management, research the following terms
and write a definition and/or draw an image representing the term in the space below.

1. Compost: A nutrient-rich soil amendment that is created when organic materials, such as

food scraps, are collected and allowed to decompose naturally.

2. Downcycle: To collect, sort, clean, and break down a material, as is done with recycling,

but the resulting material has a lower-value use or will not allow for continued recycling

and will eventually enter the waste stream.

3. Environmental justice (EJ): A social movement that advocates for access to a clean, safe

environment free from pollution for all people regardless of race, class, gender, or ability. It

prioritizes the equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens and includes

access to healthy foods, clean water, safe and reliable transportation, health care, etc.

4. Hazardous waste: Waste that is classified as extremely harmful because it is toxic, reactive,

ignitable, corrosive, infectious, or radioactive. Hazardous waste poses great risks to human

health and the environment and needs to be managed with extra precautions and safety

and storage measures.

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NAME: _____________________________________________________ DATE: ________ CLASS: ___________

Waste-Related Vocabulary, continued

5. Incineration: A waste treatment process that involves the combustion of substances

contained in waste materials. Depending on the product being incinerated, this process

may or may not generate fuel or energy. The original product is destroyed during this

process as the high temperatures break down material at the molecular level.

6. Integrated waste management (IWM): A comprehensive waste prevention, recycling,

composting, and disposal system that combines a variety of strategies for both managing

and reducing waste.

7. Industrial solid waste: Solid waste produced by industrial activities such as mining,

operating power plants, extracting and refining petroleum, and producing consumer

goods.

8. Landfill: A facility that is engineered and managed to contain solid wastes. Modern landfills

in the United States are regulated, monitored, and designed to protect the environment

from contaminants that may be present in the waste stream.

9. Materials recovery facility (MRF): A solid waste management facility that receives, sorts,

and prepares recyclable materials for use by manufacturers.

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NAME: _____________________________________________________ DATE: ________ CLASS: ___________

Waste-Related Vocabulary, continued

10. Municipal solid waste (MSW): Also called garbage or trash, MSW is material that has been

disposed of by individuals, households, small businesses, and institutions and that is

collected and overseen by local government offices.

11. Municipal solid waste composting: The process of collecting food scraps and other rapidly

biodegradable materials that have been disposed of by individuals, households, small

businesses, and institutions and converting it via a local government-run facility into a

reusable material such as agricultural soil.

12. NIMBY: An acronym that stands for “not in my backyard.” It describes the position or

attitude of people who object to locating something that is often needed by the larger

community but that is considered undesirable (such as a jail, incinerator, or landfill) near

their home or property.

13. Pollution: Contamination of the environment (such as air, water, or soil) with a poisonous or

harmful substance. Pollution is mostly human-made and created through industry.

14. Recyclable: A designation describing an item or material that can be recycled. Most

materials can be recycled, but the resale value of a recycled item must outweigh the

processing costs of recycling. As a result, what is recyclable in a given area is usually

dependent on local processing capabilities.

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NAME: _____________________________________________________ DATE: ________ CLASS: ___________

Waste-Related Vocabulary, continued

15. Recycling: The process of collecting, sorting, cleaning, and processing a material so that it

may provide a new function or the same function as the original material. This process

typically involves breaking down a material into its component parts and remaking it.

16. Recycling commodities: Commodities are economic goods that have a value that

fluctuates on the open market. Recycling commodities relate to scrap materials coming

from recycling facilities. If the value of these commodities dips too low, recycling can

become financially unfeasible, and services may need to be reduced or discontinued.

17. Reuse: Using a product or material again to fulfill the same purpose for which it was

originally created. Sometimes a product that is being reused is referred to as refurbished or

pre-owned. The original product is usually not altered in any significant way before being

used again.

18. Source reduction: Actions that reduce the amount of waste created. These actions include

designing, manufacturing, or buying items that leave less or no waste upon consumption.

For example, one might buy laundry detergent or beverages in bulk or concentrated form,

which requires less packaging.

19. Upcycle: To use a certain material again, but in a manner different from that for which it

was originally intended. The original product is left mostly intact, allowing for use of its

shape, form, and material for a different purpose. For example, one might use corks to

make a cork board.

20. Waste stream: The complete flow of waste, whether from domestic or industrial sources,

that represents the life cycle of waste from its source to its eventual disposal.
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