Waste management concepts

thumb|The three chasing arrows of the universal recycling symbol thumb|Municipal waste recycling rate (%), 2015 Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh

thumb|James Gillray's satirical print Temperance Enjoying a Frugal Meal. [[George III is depicted with patched breeches and a chair covered with protective fabric, eating a simple boiled egg and using the tablecloth as his napkin. Winter flowers fill the unlit fireplace.]]

philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused

thumb|A bathtub upcycled into a bench in [[Munich.]] Reuse is the action or practice of using an item, whether for its original purpose (conventional reuse) or to fulfill a different function (creative reuse or repurposing). It should be distinguished from recycling, which is the breaking down of used items to make raw materials for the manufacture of new products. Reuse—by taking, but not reprocessing, previously used items—helps save time, money, energy and resources. In broader economic terms, it can make quality products available to people and organizations with limited means, while gener

principle

identifies material item is made from

hierarchy of decreasing favorability of actions to reduce resource waste and protect the natural environment

process that involves reducing the amount of waste produced in society

return processing, i.e. all operations related to the upstream movement of products and materials

beverage transport container

international trade of waste between countries

form of rainwater runoff management

thumb| written on a truck, followed by the sentence "I strive towards zero emission"

application of engineering methods to improve sanitation of human communities, primarily by providing the removal and disposal of human waste, and in addition to the supply of safe potable water

license symbol of a European network of industry-funded systems for recycling the packaging materials of consumer goods

strategy designed to promote the integration of environmental costs associated with goods

preventive, company-specific environmental protection initiative

thumb|upright|Plastic bottles (with LED lights) repurposed as a chandelier during [[Ramadan in the Muslim Quarter, Jerusalem ]] thumb|St William's College ([[York) facade. The curved wood protrusions are probably repurposed ship frames.]] thumb|African music instrument made from a food can Repurposing is the process by which an object with one use value is transformed or redeployed as an object with an alternative use value.

waste management

practice of exporting hazardous waste from developed countries to underdeveloped ones for disposal

usage-pricing model for waste disposal

using wastes as an input material to create valuable products as new outputs

material and energy turnover of human society

human society strongly influenced by consumerism

Precycling is the practice of reducing waste by attempting to avoid buying items which will generate waste into households or businesses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that precycling is the preferred method of integrated solid waste management because it cuts waste at its source and therefore eliminates trash before it is created. According to the EPA, precycling is also characterized as a decision-making process for the consumer because it involves making informed judgments regarding a product's waste implications. The factors taken into consideration by the consumer

generates heat from biomass

managing the environmental impact of different products and materials