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Environment & Climate vocabulary · Waste and Recycling

Dispose of

Meaning in environment & climate, with examples

/dɪˈspoʊz əv/phrasal verbCore term

In environment & climate, dispose of means: To get rid of something, especially waste, by throwing it away, burning it or burying it in a controlled and legal way.

In Turkish: bertaraf etmek, elden çıkarmak

How it is used

Common in waste permits, safety data sheets and procedures: dispose of waste safely, dispose of batteries properly. The noun is disposal: waste disposal, disposal site, safe disposal. In waste law, disposal (such as landfill, or incineration without energy recovery) is the last option, below recovery.

Example sentences

  1. Used oil must be disposed of through a licensed collector.

  2. How do you dispose of the sludge from the treatment plant?

Common collocations

  • dispose of waste
  • dispose of safely
  • waste disposal
  • disposal site
  • properly disposed of
  • waste managementThe collection, transport, sorting, treatment, recycling and disposal of waste, together with the planning and monitoring of these activities.
  • landfillA site where waste is buried in the ground in a controlled way, usually with a lining and systems to collect leachate and landfill gas.
  • hazardous wasteWaste that can harm people or the environment because it is toxic, flammable, corrosive or reactive, such as used oils, solvents, batteries and medical waste.
  • waste hierarchyAn order of priority for dealing with waste: first prevent it, then reuse, recycle and recover energy, and only as a last option dispose of it.

More terms: Waste and Recycling

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