The UK Government has promoted the ‘waste hierarchy’ as a way of looking at waste issues for many years. Under the hierarchy, the first priority is to reduce the amount of waste produced (especially waste with hazardous constituents), then re-use and recovery.
| increasing desirability |
- Reduction
- Re-Use
- Recovery (Recycling, Composting, Energy recovery)
- Disposal
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Disposal is considered as the least attractive option. The government’s overall policy aim is to increase the proportion of waste managed by the options towards the top of the hierarchy.
The hierarchy can be used to aid an initial assessment of the most appropriate management option for a particular waste. It provides a broad indication of which treatment option is best for the environment.
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Reduction
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Avoiding the production of waste.
E.g. avoiding the production of faulty materials or products, improving yield, reducing scrap, efficient ‘nesting’ of metal components when cutting from sheets, etc.. |
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Re-Use |
Using products or materials (e.g. packaging) again without their reprocessing.
E.g. re-using bottles, re-using cardboard boxes, wooden pallets, etc..
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Recycling |
Processing of waste materials to produce a usable material or product.
E.g. pulping of waste paper, melting of scrap metal or glass items, etc..
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Composting
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Processing of organic waste to produce a soil improving material.
E.g. composting of catering waste, using paper-mill waste or treated sewage sludge as a soil improver.
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Energy recovery |
Combustion of waste to produce energy.
E.g. waste incineration with heat recovery, burning of waste solvents in a cement kiln, etc..
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