THIS TOOLKIT IS PROVIDED BY RECYCLE, MICHIGAN—AN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVE OF THE MICHIGAN RECYCLING COALITION
Provided is the industry definition. Click on the word for more information, including public-facing language.
Anaerobic Digestion
A decomposition process where microorganisms consume and break down organic matter in an environment without oxygen. All anaerobic digestion processes produce methane gas and digestate. The gas can be cleaned and used as energy or sold. Large commercial anaerobic digester systems use microbes to encourage waste decomposition, like wastewater, manure, and food waste. When food and other organic materials are disposed of in a landfill, they decompose anaerobically, generating methane and contributing to landfill leachate.
Automated Side Loader
Type of curbside collection vehicle that uses a staff-controlled arm to pick up wheeled and lidded carts and dump them into the collection vehicle. This type of collection is very efficient taking usually 15-30 seconds to service a cart per home. This advance in collection allows for the collection of more materials, because carts can contain more material than previous bins. They're easier for the resident to take to the curb, and the lids protect the material inside.
Chemical Recycling
The conversion of plastic waste to fuel (plastics-to-fuel), chemicals, and new plastic components (plastic-to-chemicals) is generally considered chemical recycling. There are three primary types of chemical recycling: pyrolysis, gasification, and solvolysis. Pyrolysis primarily targets polyethylene and polypropylene, or olefins. The pyrolysis proces heats up the collected recycled plastic without oxygen in a reactor which pulls apart the molecules, reorganizing them into their elemental parts for reuse. Chemical recycling is often considered for use when trying to reclaim multi-layered plastics. Note that this level of scientific detail is not accessible to most public audiences. You may hear them in recycling industry spaces.
Circular Economy
Circular economy refers to products that are designed with productive end-of-life solutions in mind. While the "make-take-waste" economy is a one-way ticket to the landfill, the circular economy prioritizes reuse, recycling, composting, etc. A circular economy shows the economic and environmental benefits of working collaboratively to find non-landfill options for waste. The concept of reduce, reuse, recycle can be repeated over and over, creating a "circular" model for our waste.
Commercial Recycling
Municipal solid waste (MSW) refers to the recycling or trash collected by both the residential or commercial sector. The commercial sector can generate high volumes of specific materials and manages them for collection in a dumpster, compactor, or recycling carts. The private sector usually provides trash and recycling services to businesses and can collect single or multiple and mixed materials. For example, corrugated cardboard is found in high volumes in commercial sector businesses. Restaurants also generate recyclable cans and bottles. Many businesses collect single or dual stream depending on available programs. Note that multi-family housing (apartments, condos, and other facilities that collect recyclables in a dumpster) may be classified as "commercial" recycling.
Contamination
Waste that ends up in the recycling stream where it doesn't belong, affecting the processing, recycling, or composting of that material.
Curbside Recycling
Recyclables collected by a municipality or recycling hauler at the curb of single-family homes. Typically collected in a recycling bin, wheeled cart, personal container, or paper or plastic bag, depending on the hauler's collection specifications. This does not include drop-off recycling and, typically, does not refer to multifamily or commercial (business) recycling.
Dual-Stream Collection
Recycled materials are collected from the curb or drop-off in two material streams, typically fiber or paper (newspaper, magazines, catalogs, mixed paper, cardboard, etc.) and commingled containers (plastic, glass, metal, and sometimes cartons, or aseptic containers). Further material sortation is required at the material recovery facility or MRF through a combination of automated equipment and manual sorting. Dual stream collection is considered a collection method that delivers higher-quality recyclables to end markets.
End Markets
Recycled commodities are sold to end markets, generally manufacturers, who use the materials to make new products. Some end markets are "circular," meaning the items are recycled into the same material that they were made from (i.e. cardboard box becomes a new cardboard box). Some end markets "downcycle" or make recycled materials into other items that can't be easily recycled again (i.e. a plastic bottle becomes a shirt made from plastic fibers). This is still a valuable end market that saves virgin materials.
Essential Drop-Off
A drop-off facility that accepts only standard materials (flattened cardboard, metal containers, mixed paper, glass bottles and jars, and plastic containers). This term can be used in place of "basic drop-off" or "standard drop-off" within the industry.
Expanded Polystyrene
PS #6 plastic is commonly found as "foam" or EPS, Expanded Polystyrene used for takeout food containers and single-use cups. It is generally not accepted in curbside recycling programs, but recycling opportunities are growing through local drop-off programs.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Extended producer responsibility is a policy approach that requires producers to account for and manage the full lifecycle of their products and packaging. EPR legislation aims to do this by shifting the financial and/or management burden of end-of-life management onto the producers where design and development decisions are made. EPR policies are in place all over the world for a variety of products that require specific handling and management at the end-of-life.
Front-Load Collection
Front-load collection vehicles service a "dumpster" or a rectangular container made of metal or plastic by picking up the container with two arms in the front of the vehicle to dump the material overhead into the back of the truck. These are the most common collection method for commercial businesses, schools, and multifamily housing for trash and recycling collection. Dumpsters can collect one type of the material that the business generates the most (i.e. cardboard boxes, office (mixed) paper, or other recyclable material) or a mixed stream of recyclables.
Glass Bottles & Jars
Glass containers are packaging for food and beverages. Using the terms glass bottles and jars helps to avoid window glass and ceramic cups/plates. This is not the same material that is used in making new bottles or fiberglass.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
HDPE #2 is a recyclable plastic material that generally comes in colors or natural (no pigment). These are a mix of bottles, defined with a neck or mouth smaller than the base. An example of natural HDPE is a milk jug. An example of colored HDPE is a detergent bottle.
Home Composting
Home composting is the aerobic composting process at the individual, residential level, separate from curbside compost collections. Common examples are backyard composting within a bin or tumbler system, the use of kitchen tabletop electric food recyclers, indoor or outdoor worm bins, or indoor Bokashi bins.
Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
LDPE #4 is a soft, flexible type of plastic considered a plastic film. LDPE is commonly used to make thin plastic bags i.e. grocery bags, bread bags, and shrink wrap around many products. These are typically thought of as stringy tanglers and can get wrapped around and in recycling sorting equipment, so these materials are generally collected in bins at the front of participating grocery stores. A limited humber of curbside programs do accept bags in their prgograms. Check locally for collection information.
Material Recovery/Recycling Facility (MRF)
A facility that accepts commingled (mixed) recyclable materials that have already been separated from municipal solid waste generated by either households or commercial sources.
Metal Containers
Metal containers are steel, tin, or aluminum containers for food and beverages like pop cans and cans of tuna.
Mixed Paper
The EPA defines mixed paper as a broad category that often includes items such as discarded mail, telephone books, paperboard, magazines, and catalogs. Paper mills use mixed paper to produce paperboard and tissue, as a secondary fiber in the production of new paper, or as a raw material in non paper products such as gypsum wallboard, chipboard, roofing felt, cellulose insulation, and molded pulp products such as egg cartons.
Multifamily Recycling
Recycling collected from apartments, condos, and houses that usually contain four or more units. Each multifamily residence is unique and the provision of recycling services at these locations can be challenging due to limited space.
Old Corrugated Cardboard
Corrugated cardboard boxes are typically used to deliver products. These boxes are fortified with a layer of wavy ridges that add space between the paper layers for packaging protection.
Organics
Organic materials are those that are or once were alive and can be composted rather than recycled. This includes food waste, yard waste, farm waste, and soiled paper. It can be generated both at homes and in commercial settings.
Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT)
A fee structure for solid waste collection and disposal that is based on the amount of solid waste generated. Under a PAYT system, residents are charged a variable rate depending on the amount of service they use. Most commodities with PAYT charge residents a fee for each bag or volume cart of waste they fill. In a few communities, residents are billed based on the weight of solid waste.
Plastic Containers
Plastic containers are packaging for food, beverages, and soap and shampoo made from one of the 7 types of plastics. Plastic is the most confusing of the recyclables. Keep it simple: food, beverage, and soap containers. This avoids plastic bags/wrap that can cause equipment stoppages and plastics containing dangerous chemicals.
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE)
PET #1 is a type of recyclable plastic used to package beverages, food, and other liquids. PET can be semi-rigid and is very lightweight. It acts as a good barrier to alcohol and solvents. It is strong, impact-resistant, and naturally colorless and transparent.
Polypropylene (PP)
PP #5 is used in straws, soft drink cups, and certain food containers. PP plastic can be recycled, but check to make sure it's accepted at the local MRF.
Polystyrene (PS)
PS #6 plastic is commonly found in single-use cups. Program acceptance may vary depending on end markets.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC #3 is more difficult to recycle than PET #1 and HDPE #2. This type of plastic can be found in children's toys and a variety of bottles, including detergent and shampoo.
Product Stewardship
Product stewardship is the responsible management of a product's impacts throughout its entire lifecycle. A range of voluntary approaches, financed by producers, exist to manage end-of-life impacts of products and packaging, often by increasing post-consumer material recovery. Approaches may include industry collaboration, coalition building, and public-private partnerships to establish or enhance material collection and processing to achieve goals.
Public-Private Partnership (P3)
A collaborative agreement between a government entity and a private company to finance, develop, and manage recycling infrastructure and services. These partnerships leverage private sector investment, technology, and efficiency with public sector oversight, regulations, and expertise to improve recycling rates, enhance sustainability, and create jobs.
Recycling Bin
While "recycling bin" is a generic term and can be used to describe any collection receptacle, "bin" is typically used to describe a container with no wheels that is 16-18 gallons in size.
Recycling Cart
Recycling carts are rolled receptacles that are typically 35, 64, or 96 gallons. They are usually emptied using an automated side loader vehicle. The cart is serviced by an arm that grabs the cart and empties the recycling or trash into the “hopper” or body of the recycling or trash vehicle. All recycling contents are mixed together in one truck or one compartment of the truck. Recycling carts allow for more material collection, protection of materials within the receptacle with a lid, and easier set-out for residents due to the rolling mechanism. Communities that implement curbside carts experience higher volumes of collection and increased participation.
Recycling Commodities
Materials collected for recycling are sorted by commodity type, which means types of recyclable material that have the same composition. For example, #2 plastics are generally sorted into two commodity streams - colored and natural. Commodity types are industry standards for trade, because once they are sorted, they are sold to end markets as feedstock for manufacturing. While market values of commodities change on a regular basis depending on supply, demand, and quality, commodity standards remain fixed until industry agrees on changes.
Resin Identification Code
A numerical coding system in which symbols and numbers are molded directly onto plastic bottles and containers to identify the resin from which they are made. The RIC was established in the late 1980s by the Plastic Bottle Institute. While surrounded by a recycling symbol, these numbers serve to identify the type of plastic used.
#1 - polyethylene terephthalate (PET) - example: plastic water bottles
#2 - high density polyethylene (HDPE) - example: milk jugs
#3 - polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - example: water pipes
#4 - low density polyethylene (LDPE) - example: plastic bags
#6 - polystyrene (PS) - example: foam cups
#7 - mixed plastic or other
Single-Stream Collection
All recyclables are collected together in one container with no need for the resident to sort by types of recyclables or bag any type of material.
Source Reduction
Bringing production in line with demand to prevent surplus products.
Source-Separated Collection
Incoming recyclables that have been separated from other materials at the point of collection (drop-off and/or curbside collection programs). Some additional processing may be needed to further sort materials, such as separating plastics types or glass of differing colors. The primary purpose of the sorting facility is to separate materials into marketable commodities, remove contaminants, and prepare the material for market (baling, flattening, or crushing, etc).
Super Drop-Off
A drop-off center that accepts both standard materials (flattened cardboard, metal containers, mixed paper, glass bottles and jars, and plastic containers) as well as at least three expanded materials, i.e., plastic film, textiles, electronics, HHW, organics, etc. This term can be used in place of “expanded drop-off” or “comprehensive drop-off.”
Waste Diversion
Also called landfill diversion, this refers to the process of preventing waste from going to landfills by redirecting it to recycling or composting facilities.
Waste-to-Energy (WTE)
A facility that incinerates accumulated municipal waste in a way that creates energy to be used for other purposes like electricity.
Zero Waste
A system that incorporates reducing, reusing, and composting as much waste as feasibly possible. There is also a focus on resource conservation through responsible production, consumption, and reuse. A 90% diversion rate or higher is the general standard for being considered zero waste.