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Environment & Climate vocabulary · Waste and Recycling

Waste hierarchy

Meaning in environment & climate, with examples

/ˈweɪst ˌhaɪərɑːrki/nounCommon term

In environment & climate, waste hierarchy means: An 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.

In Turkish: atık hiyerarşisi, atık yönetimi hiyerarşisi

How it is used

Set out in the EU Waste Framework Directive and used in waste plans and audits. It is often drawn as an upside-down pyramid, and professionals say an option is 'higher up' or 'lower down' the waste hierarchy. The simple version for the public is 'reduce, reuse, recycle'.

Example sentences

  1. Composting food waste is higher up the waste hierarchy than burning it.

  2. Following the waste hierarchy, we first redesigned the packaging to use less material.

Common collocations

  • follow the waste hierarchy
  • higher up the waste hierarchy
  • waste prevention
  • reduce, reuse, recycle
  • waste managementThe collection, transport, sorting, treatment, recycling and disposal of waste, together with the planning and monitoring of these activities.
  • recyclingThe process of collecting used materials such as paper, glass, metal and plastic and turning them into raw materials or new products.
  • circular economyAn economic model that keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling, instead of making, using and throwing away.
  • compostingThe controlled natural breakdown of organic waste, such as food scraps, garden waste and some paper, into a dark, nutrient-rich material that is used to improve soil.
  • 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.

More terms: Waste and Recycling

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