T YPES OF W ASTE

S OLID Any garbage, refuse or rubbish that we make in our homes and other places Includes old car tires, old newspapers, broken furniture and even food waste

L IQUID Some solid waste can also be converted to a liquid waste form for disposal Includes point source and non-point source discharges such as storm water and wastewater Examples of liquid waste include wash water from homes, liquids used for cleaning in industries and waste detergents

R ECYCLABLE Processing used materials (waste) into new, useful products Done to reduce the use of raw materials that would have been used Waste that can be potentially recycled is termed "Recyclable waste" E.g. Aluminum products, plastics, glass, paper can be recycled and fall into this category

H AZARDOUS OR H ARMFUL Potentially threaten public health or the environment. Could be flammable (can easily catch fire) reactive (can easily explode) corrosive (can easily eat through metal) toxic (poisonous to human and animals) Examples include fire extinguishers, old propane tanks, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment (e.g, thermostats) and lamps (e.g. fluorescent bulbs),old paint and batteries

I N -O RGANIC Waste composed of material other than plant or animal matter, such as sand, dust, glass and many synthetics and cannot become part of the soil again

O RGANIC Comes from plants or animals sources Includes food waste, fruit and vegetable peels, flower trimmings and even dog poop can be classified as organic waste Considered to be biodegradable Many people turn their organic waste into compost and use them in their gardenscompost

B IODEGRADABLE Type of waste which can be broken down, in a reasonable amount of time, into its base compounds by micro-organisms and other living things, regardless of what those compounds may be E.g. left over food, packing peanuts made of cornstarch instead of styrofoam