Air classifiers: Equipment used to separate different materials by size using air flow
Artificial intelligence: Simulation of human intelligence in equipment
Auger screens: Screening equipment used to segregate old-corrugated containers
Automated Sorting: Mechanized process integrating sensor technologies
B
Bale: Compacted recyclable material bundle
Baler: A compactor that produces bales
Biodegradable: Products that can be naturally decomposed
Boxboard: Single layer cardboard, often gray in color
Bulk metals: Typically, small metal appliances that are mostly ferrous, but also other non-container metal items
Bulky plastics: Larger plastic items, often not containers
C
Colored HDPE: HDPE containers that are white or pigmented (labeled #2)
Commercial recycling: Recyclable waste from industries and businesses
Commingled recycling: Collection of mixed recyclables (predominantly containers)
Contamination: Non recyclables or residue mixed with recyclables
Corrugated paper: Layered paperboard with a fluted inner liner, usually brown in color
Cullet: Crushed recycled glass for reuse
Curbside recycling: Collection of recyclables from specific generator buildings (typically, residences). Does not require a waste generator to bring the recyclables to a waste management facility
D
Deinking: Removal of ink from recycled paper
Downcycling: Recycling into lower quality products, typically occurs with plastics
Diversion rate: Waste amounts redirected from landfills
Disc sorters: Rotating discs used to segregate recyclables by size and shape
Drop off: Depositing recyclables at a designated place
Dual-stream recycling: Waste management method where individuals sort recyclables into two streams mostly fiber and containers
E
E-Waste: Discarded electronic gadgets and parts
F
Ferrous Metals: Metal containing iron
Flow Control: Regulating materials movement to management facilities
Fines: Small materials: of all kinds of composition such as dirt, plastics, glass, metals, etc. Typically, in residues.
Front Load Dumpster: Waste container emptied by front loading truck
Front Loader Truck: A garbage collection truck that lifts garbage containers over the cab of the truck to deposit the waste
G
Glass Recycling: Reuse of disposed glass materials
Glass Breakers: Machines used to crush glass materials for recycling
Glossy paper: Shiny paper, such as advertising materials or magazines; usually contain clay
H
Hazardous Waste: Type of waste that poses risk to health or environment (oxidizing, explosive, flammable, corrosive, toxic, infectious)
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE): Durable plastics such as milk-detergent containers labeled #2. Typically, recyclable in general programs.
High grade paper waste: Premium recyclable paper
I
Incineration: Combustion and thermal disposal
Inorganic: Non-biodegradable materials
J
Junkyard: Place for scrapped materials, typically metals or car parts
K
Kraft Paper: Durable brown paper
L
Ledger paper: High quality printing paper
Linear low-density polyethylene: Soft flexible, lightweight plastic that is stronger than low density polyethylene; often used in plastic bags. Labeled #4. Typically, not recyclable in general programs.
Low density polyethylene: Soft, flexible lightweight plastic (labeled #4). Typically, not recyclable in general programs.
M
Manual separation: Hand sorting of materials in a MRF
Magnet separators: Equipment to remove ferrous metals
Microplastics: Plastic particles less than 5mm
Mixed Paper: Broad category of paper that includes junk mail, magazines, catalogs etc.
N
Natural HDPE: Transparent or opaque HDPE containers (labeled #2)
Near-infrared (NIR) cameras: Technology using infrared light to identify materials
Non-Ferrous: Metals without iron such as aluminum and copper
O
OCC: Old corrugated cardboard, the designation for corrugated cardboard in the recycling marketplace
ONP: Old newsprint, the designation for newspaper and newspaper inserts in the recycling marketplace
Optical Sorters: Identify materials based on size, shape and other features that can be determined by light scanners
Organics Recycling: Converting organic waste into products (often compost)
Other Plastics: Catchall category for plastics recyclables that do not meet categories 1-6, including plastics mixtures and non-petroleum-based plastics such as PLA. Labeled #7. Typically, not recyclable in general programs.
P
PAYT (Pay as you throw): Individuals are charged based on the amount of waste they dispose
Plastics Identification Code (PIC): 1-7 numbering system for categorizing plastics
Polyethylene terephthalate: Strong lightweight plastic used in bottles (water and soda bottles and many food containers, labeled #1). Typically, recyclable in general programs.
Polypropylene: plastic polymer, often used in containers and cups, labeled #5. Typically, recyclable in general programs.
Polystyrene: Lightweight synthetic polymer used in packaging and product. Many utensils and containers are made from general purpose PS. It is labeled #6. Typically, not recyclable in general programs.
Polyvinyl chloride: More rigid plastic., often used in containers, utensils, and piping. Labeled #3. Typically, not recyclable in general programs.
Q
Quality Control: Procedure that ensures that materials meet specific guidelines and standards
R
Raw materials: Natural resources used to produce goods
Recovery: Process of reclaiming materials from a waste stream and converting them into reusable resources
Recycling hauler: Collects and delivers recyclable materials to the facility
Reprocess: Conversion of used materials into new goods
Residue: Materials left after recovery of recyclables; typically, non-recyclable materials
Roll cart: Wheeled bins for collecting recyclables or MSW
Reverse logistics: Moves products from customers back to the sellers
RGB cameras: Captures images using red, green and blue light sensors
S
Scrap: Disposed material; or metal recyclables
Single-stream Recycling: All recyclable materials collected in a single bin, both containers and fibers combined in one bin
Shredded paper: Paper mechanically torn into strips
Source separation: Segregating recyclables into different materials streams at the point of waste disposal
Sorting efficiency: Effectiveness in segregating materials
Star screen sorters: Rotating discs used to segregate materials based on size and shape.
T
Tanglers: Flexible and long waste materials that wrap around and jam recycling equipment
Tipping floor: Area where recyclables materials are unloaded
Thermoplastics: Plastic polymer class defined by its material changes when heated
Transfer station: Facility where waste materials are repackaged for efficient transportation
Trommel: Tilted rotating cylinder with sized holes, used for size differentiation
U
Upcycling: Repurposing waste into desirable products
Urban mining: Recovering valuable materials from waste streams
V
Virgin material: Manufacturing inputs from natural resources that have not been recovered
W
Waste stream: Flow of waste materials in a system
Weigh station: Large scale for weighing incoming recyclables and waste
X
X-Ray sorting: Use of X-ray to segregate materials
