Aerobic
living and growing in the presence of free oxygen
Anaerobic
living and growing in the absence of free oxygen
Backfilling
any recovery operation where suitable waste is used for reclamation purposes in excavated areas or for engineering purposes in landscaping or constructions instead of other non-waste materials which would otherwise have been used for that purpose
Biobased economy
economy, based on production paradigms that rely on biological processes and use natural inputs, expend minimum amounts of energy and do not produce waste as all materials discarded by one process are inputs for another process and are reused in the ecosystem
Bioconversion
conversion of one form of energy into another by plants or microorganisms.
Biodegradable material
organic material that under natural conditions can be broken down by microorganisms into simpler, more stable compounds
Biodiversity
variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; including diversity within and between species and/of ecosystems
Bottom ash
solidified combustion residues on grate and boiler wall
Brown goods
bulky household items that are difficult to recycle
Carbon footprint
total amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, emitted during the entire life cycle of a process or product, in g CO2 eq/kWh
Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
process of capturing CO2 from large point sources transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere, such as underground geological formations
Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)
encompasses methods and technologies to remove CO2 from flue gas and from the atmosphere, followed by recycling the CO2 for utilization and determining safe and permanent storage options
Chain management
closing material loops in the chain of raw material, production process, product waste, recycling and associated emissions.
Chemical recycling
chemical degradation of plastics waste into monomers or other basic chemicals, reusing the output for polymerization into new plastics, producing other chemicals or fuels
Chemocar
a special vehicle for the collection of toxic and hazardous wastes from residences, shops and institutions.
Climate Change
significant change from one climatic condition to another, mostly used in relation to global warming
Circular economy
industrial system in which the potential use of goods and materials is optimized and their elements are returned to the system at the end of their viable life cycles
Climate policy
plans, measures and other activities, aiming the reduction of CO2 and other greenhouse gases