Glossary of Terms
Authorised Waste Collector
A holder of a valid waste collection permit.
BAT
Best available techniques.
BATNEEC
Best available technology not entailing excessive costs.
Biological Treatment
The degradation of organic waste by action of microorganisms.
Bring Banks
Individual stand alone units within a neighbourhood, civic amenity site, recycling bring scheme, etc. For example, bottle bank, can bank, textile bank.
Cleaner Production
The continuous application of an integrated preventive environmental strategy to processes, products and services to increase efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment.
Collection
The gathering, sorting or mixing of waste for the purpose of its being transported and includes the transport of waste and the acceptance of control of waste.
Commercial Waste
Waste from premises used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a trade or business or for the purposes of sport, recreation, education or entertainment but does not include household, agricultural or industrial waste. Composting
An aerobic, biological process in which organic wastes, such as garden and kitchen waste are converted into a stable granular material which can be applied to land to improve soil structure and enrich the nutrient content of the soil
Construction and Demolition Waste
Construction and demolition waste is taken to include all waste which arises from construction, renovation and demolition activities. This includes waste, surplus and damaged products and materials arising at construction works or used temporarily during on-site activities.
Disposal
Disposal in relation to waste, includes any of the activities specified in the Third Schedule of the Waste Management Act 1996, and waste disposal activity shall be construed accordingly.
EIA
Environmental Impact Assessment.
EIS
Environmental Impact Statement.
EMS
Environmental Management System.
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency.
European Waste Catalogue (EWC)
List of wastes set out in Commission Decision 94/3/EC of 20th December, 1993 and includes such list as amended from time to time.
Hazardous Waste (Reference to Schedules refer to the Waste Management Act, 1996)
Means-
- I.
hazardous waste for the time being mentioned in
the list prepared pursuant to Article 1(4) of Council Directive
91/689/EEC of 12 December, 1991, being either
- i. Category I waste that has any of the properties specified in Part III of the Second Schedule, or
- ii. Category II waste that
- a. contains any of the constituents specified in Part II of the Second Schedule, and
- b. has any of the properties specified in Part III of the said Schedule
- II. such other waste, having any of the properties specified in Part III of the Second Schedule, as may be prescribed for the purposes of this definition.
Untreated waste from the following categories of materials:
- Biological
- Infectious
- Chemical, toxic or pharmaceutical wastes including cytotoxins
- Sharps ( needles, scalpels, sharp broken waste)
- Radioactive waste
Provision of home composting units (free of charge or at a subsidised price) to a designated number of households in an area.
Household Waste
Waste produced within the curtilage of a building or selfcontained part of a building used for the purposes of living accommodation.
Incineration
The controlled combustion of materials at high temperatures. Chemical oxidation at high temperatures where organic material is converted into heat, energy, flue gas and slag.
Industrial Waste
Includes waste produced or arising from manufacture or industrial activities or processes.
Inert Waste
Means waste –
- that does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformations;
- that will not dissolve, burn or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter, or be adversely affected by other matter, including waters, with which it comes into contact in a way that causes or is likely to cause environmental pollution, and
- in particular, will not endanger the quality of surface water or groundwater.
IIntegrated Pollution Control Licence issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ISO 14001
The Environmental Management System (EMS) standard set by the International Standards Organisation.
Kerbside Collection
The collection of segregated recyclable waste from individual householders.
Landfill
Waste disposal facility used for the deposit of waste onto or under land.
Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
A site or premises that receives recyclable material, i.e., glass, paper, metals etc. The materials are sorted, baled and packed to facilitate recyclers.
Municipal Waste
Household waste as well as commercial and other waste which, because of its nature or composition, is similar to household waste.
NIMBY
Not in my backyard.
NGO
Non-Government Organisation.
Organic Waste
Garden or kitchen waste suitable for composting or anaerobic treatment (Excludes meat and cooked foods).
Packaging
Any material, container or wrapping, used for or in connection with the containment, transport, handling, protection, promotion, marketing or sale of any product or substance including such packaging as may be prescribed.
Packaging Waste
Any packaging or packaging material covered by the definition of waste in Directive 75/442/EEC.
Participation Rate
Percentage of the population within a catchment area of a particular recycling facility, actually using that facility.
Polluter Pays Principle
The principle set out in Council Recommendation75/736/Euration, ECSC, EEC of 3rd March, 1975 regarding cost allocation and action by public authorities in environmental matters, e.g. that the costs of waste management (incl. Preparation, recycling, recovery, disposal and aftercare) be borne by the producers of that waste.
Producer
Any person whose activities produce waste or who carries out pre-processing, mixing or other operations resulting in a change in the nature or composition of waste.
Producer Responsibility
The principle that producers bear a degree of responsibility for all environmental impacts of their products.
Proximity Principle
The principle set out in the EU Framework Directive (91/156/EEC) (Article 5) whereby member states should establish a network enabling waste to be disposed of in one of the nearest appropriate installations, by means of the most appropriate methods and technologies to ensure a high level of protection for the environment and for public health.
Recovery
In relation to waste, means any activity carried out for the purposes of reclaiming or re-using, in whole or in part, the waste and any activities related to such reclamation, recycling or re-use, including any of the activities specified in the Fourth Schedule of the Waste Management Act 1996, and waste recovery activity shall be construed accordingly.
Recovery Rate
Percentage of usable recycled materials have been removed from the total amount of municipal solid waste generated in a specific area or by a specific business.
Recycling
The subjection of waste to any process or treatment to make it re-usable in whole or in part.
Recycling Bring Scheme
A scheme which provides facilities, where waste may be deposited by members of the public, each site strategically located so as to serve an optimum amount of people in a neighbourhood.
Re-use
Using a product or component of municipal solid waste in its original form more than once, e.g. refilling a glass bottle that has been returned or using a coffee jar to hold nuts and bolts.
Sustainable Development
Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Thermal Treatment
This is a term used to describe a range of heating or combustion technologies used for the treatment of waste. The individual technologies differ significantly but each involves the generation of large quantities of heat and electricity.
Transfer Station
A facility where waste is unloaded in order to permit its preparation for further transport for recovery, treatment or disposal elsewhere.
Waste
Any substances or object belonging to a category of waste, specified in the First Schedule of the Waste Management Act 1996 or included in the European Waste Catalogue (EWC), which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard and anything which is discarded or otherwise dealt with as if it were waste shall be presumed to be waste until the contrary is proved. Waste Collection Permit (WCP)
Permit issued at local authority level for the collection of waste, in accordance with the Waste Management (Waste Collection Permit) Regulations, 2001.
Waste Licence
Licence issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for certain waste activities, as defined in the Waste Management (Permit) Regulations, 1998.
Waste Minimisation
Measures and/or techniques that reduce the amount of wastes generated during any domestic, commercial and industrial process.
Waste Prevention
The reduction of the quantity and of the harmfulness to the environment of waste products.
Waste Permit
Permit issued by the local authority for certain waste activities, as defined in the Waste Management (Permit) Regulations, 1998.
Waste Recycling Centres (Civic Amenity Facilities)
Facilities at which waste may be deposited by members of the public in accordance with any conditions for the time being specified by the local authority as respects the nature, type and quantity of waste that may be deposited, and other facilities for:
- The segregation, mixing, baling, storage or treatment of waste prior to its recovery or disposal
- The recovery of waste
- The disposal of waste (other than household).
Any thermal, physical, chemical or biological processes that change the characteristics of waste in order to reduce its volume or hazardous nature or facilitate its handling, disposal or recovery.
WCP Waste Collection Permit
Waste Collection Permit issued at local authority level for the collection of waste, in accordance with the Waste Management ( Waste Collection Permit) Regulations, 2001.