Glossary

Below are some commonly used terms and acronyms in local authority waste management.

AD – Anaerobic Digestion; a collection of processes by which micro-organisms break down organic material in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas and fertilizer.

Organic Waste – Materials such as paper, food and garden waste which decompose through the action of bacteria or other microbes. Generally, organic waste that is sent to landfill is squashed under all the other waste and does not have access to air. Decomposition without air (anaerobic) causes methane. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas which is believed to contribute to global warming.

Bring bank – Recycling site open to the public.

Bulky waste – Large items of household waste such as furniture or fridges together with some garden and DIY waste.

Commercial waste – Either collected from businesses by the Waste Collection Authorities in a paid for service or deposited at Household Waste and Recycling Centres for a small fee.

Composting – Decomposition of organic matter in the presence of oxygen (aerobic) to produce compost for use as a fertiliser or a soil conditioner.

County Council – Is the waste disposal authority in the administrative area of Staffordshire.

District Council – Is the waste collection authority in the administrative area of Staffordshire.

Energy from Waste – Conversion of waste into a usable form of energy, either by incineration, thermal treatment or the production of gas.

Household waste – Covers waste from household collections, street sweepings, bulky waste collections, hazardous household waste collections, litter collections, household clinical waste collections, separate garden waste collections, waste from Household Waste Recycling Centres and waste collected separately for recycling/composting schemes.

HWRC – Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Kerbside collection – Collection of recyclables typically from the curtilage of premises.

Landfill – The process of depositing waste in/ on the ground.

Industrial waste – Waste from any factory and from any site occupied by an industry.

In-vessel composting – aerobic decomposition of organic / organic materials, confined within a building, container, or vessel, to create better air circulation than open composting.

JMWMS – Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy

MSW – Municipal Solid Waste; This includes all waste collected by a Waste Collection Authorities, or its agents, such as waste from households, parks and gardens, fly-tipping and any waste they collect from commercial or industrial premises.

MRF – Material Recovery Facility; a specialized plant that receives, separates and prepares recyclable materials for marketing to end-user manufacturers.

Recovery – Recovery of materials or energy from waste by methods such as recycling, energy generation and composting.

Recycling – Collection or recovery of reusable materials from waste, and their subsequent reprocessing to form useable products.

Reuse – The use of waste items such as bottles, packaging or electronic components for their original or for another purpose without reprocessing.

SWP – Staffordshire Waste Partnership; a collaboration of the ten councils in Staffordshire, tackling waste management issues together.

Trade waste – Commercial waste either collected from businesses by the Waste Collection Authorities in a paid for service or deposited at Household Waste and Recycling Centres for a small fee.

Waste arisings – The quantity of waste generated within a specified area.

WCA – Waste Collection Authority; In Staffordshire, arrangements for the collection of municipal waste are the responsibility of the district councils (except for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which is a Unitary Authority).

WDA – Waste Disposal Authority; In Staffordshire, arrangements for the final disposal of household waste is the responsibility of Staffordshire County Council (except for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which is a Unitary Authority).

WEEE – Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

Unitary Authority – a self sufficient council, who collects and disposes of its own waste, without relying on other councils (e.g. Stoke-on-Trent City Council).