The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, often called the Basel Convention, is an international agreement created to reduce the movement of hazardous waste between countries. It specifically limits the transfer of hazardous waste from developed countries to less developed countries. The treaty does not cover radioactive waste, which is managed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Recycling is the process of turning waste materials into new materials and objects. This process often includes recovering energy from waste. How easily a material can be recycled depends on how well it can regain its original properties.
Open burning of waste is a way to get rid of trash. It is used in many countries around the world, but it is more common in low and middle-income countries that do not have enough systems to properly handle waste. Many governments and organizations have said that open burning is a big cause of greenhouse gas emissions.
The term “triple planetary crisis” is used by the United Nations to describe three major global environmental problems: pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecological issues. This term highlights how these problems are connected and how they work together to affect Earth’s ecosystems, people, and economies. These three crises are linked, which increases environmental dangers and causes harm to the global economy.
Municipal solid waste (MSW), often called trash or garbage in the United States and rubbish in Britain, is a type of waste made up of everyday items that people throw away. The word “garbage” can sometimes mean food waste, such as when using a garbage disposal. In some cases, food waste is collected separately from other types of waste.
Biochar carbon removal, also known as pyrogenic carbon capture and storage, is a method of reducing carbon in the atmosphere. This process starts with the heating of leftover plant material through a method called pyrolysis, which creates a substance called biochar. This biochar is then added to soil or used in long-lasting materials like cement and tar.
Bokashi is a process that helps change food waste and other organic materials into a soil amendment. This amendment adds nutrients to soil and improves its texture. It is different from traditional composting in several ways.
Home composting is the process of turning household waste into compost. Composting breaks down organic materials, such as food scraps, into nutrient-rich compost. This practice helps families improve soil health, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, lower methane emissions, and decrease the amount of food that is wasted.
Compost is a mixture of materials used to help plants grow and improve soil quality. It is made by breaking down plant and food waste, recycling organic materials, and using manure. The final product contains nutrients that plants need and helpful living things like bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, and fungi.
Single-stream recycling, also called “fully commingled” or “single-sort” recycling, is a system where all recyclable materials—such as paper, plastic, metal, and glass—are mixed together in a collection truck. This is different from the dual-stream system, where people separate recyclables into different categories (like paper, plastic, and glass) and place them in separate containers for collection. In dual-stream recycling, some materials like glass, plastic, and metal are grouped together in one stream, while paper products are in another stream.