General Article Hierarchy of waste

Topic Selected: Waste and Recycling Book Volume: 455

‘In nature there is no such thing as waste. In nature nothing is wasted; everything is recycled.’

– David Suzuki, a Canadian Geneticist and Broadcaster

Every year we use billions of tons of natural resources to make the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the houses we live in, the cars we drive, the furniture we sit on, everything we use on a daily basis. The amount of waste we generate from this process is also in the billions. 

So how do we make sure things are recycled, that everything we use has a purpose and nothing goes to waste?

What is waste?

Whatever someone throws away as rubbish or in the recycling bin is waste. It can be anything someone gets rid of when they no longer want it, need it or have use for it. It could be broken or unusable, have served its intended purpose, or be fully working.

What is waste hierarchy?

Waste hierarchy was first introduced in the European Union’s Waste Framework Directive in 1975 as a list of waste disposal considerations for the protection ...

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