INTRODUCTION

Purpose

This glossary provides practical and concise definitions of contemporary recyclmg and composting terms and acronyms. The publishers hope it assists all of us in being more precise in our writmg and speaking about materials recovery.

Some caveats

The glossary focuses on the words and phrases used by those involved with post- consumer recycling and composting. For instance, the dehitions of recovered paper and scrap metal grades are limited to the materials commonly found in municipal solid waste.

This is not a technical or legal glossary. Because this is a general glossary of common terms, it should not be used in developing contracts or legislation. A number of detailed glossaries exist for those interested in more spec& definitions.

The glossary will change over time

Almost daily, new recycling and composting words are created, new concepts developed and new technologies introduced. The language of recycling and composting is evolv- ing, and this reference publication will be revised periodically to reflect these h p o r tant changes.

We encourage your input and advice. A form is provided at the end for you to submit comments or new words and phrases and their definitions. Or just call us or drop us a note.

Need more glossaries? An order form is provided at the back to purchase additional copies of this glossary.

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DictionaycmdGlossay Sources

To complete this glossary, the researchers reviewed a number of documents. These include:

, New York, New York, 1980. American Paper Institute, The Dicho narv , of PaDa . .

American Society of Testing and Materials, Thesaurus on Resource Recoverv Terminolopv, H.I. Hollander, Editor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1983.

Composting Council, Compost Fac ilitv , Planniw Guide for Mu niciDal I Solid Waste Mixed Oynics Coqudug, * washlngtol& D.C.

Glass Packaging Institute, Commehensive Curbide Recvcliw: Collection CostG and How To Control Them, Washington, D.C., 1988.

Government Institutes, Inc., J i ” m e ntal Glassarv. Fourth Ed ition, Rockville, Maryland, 1986.

H. Freeman Associates, PUl? and PaDer Terminolw, Willowdale, Ontario, 1982.

Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, PaDer Stock Standards and Practices, Washington, D.C., 1986.

International Solid Wastes Association, 1.000 Term s in Solid Waste Manageme& (Copenhagen, Denmark), 1992.; Standard Dec6cahons for Node ,Washington, D.C., 1985. rrous ScraD Me@ . .

IU Conversion Systems, A Glossarv of Terms, Exoremions and Acronvms As Used in the Solid and L i d d Waste Marwement Field, Horsham, Pennsylvania, 1979.

Kentucky Recycling Association, of RecvclinQrms I and Acronym , Independence, Kentucky, undated

Materials World Publishing, +4 Recvcler’ s Lexicon, Berkeley, California, March 1988.

National Center for Resource Recovery, Glossarv of Solid Waste Manwement and Resource Recovery, Wash@on, D.C., undated.

National Soft Drink Association, Gloss? o f Terans, Washington, D.C, 1988.

Tennessee Valley Authority, Waste: A Hidden Resource, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1987.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ODeratine a Recvclirt.. Promam: A Citizen’s Guide, Washington, D.C., 1979.

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IA/I ABS. An acronym for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastics.

AFPA. An acronym for the American Forest &Paper Association.

APC. An acronym for the American Plastics Council.

ASTM. An acronym for the American Society for Testing and Materials, a nonprofit organization located in Philadelphia that develops standards and specifications defining the properties and characteristics of materials and products, including recyclable mate- rials and products manufactured from recycled materials.

ASTSWMO. An acronym for the Associaton of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials.

Abatement. The reduction in l a n m pollution by source reduc- tion and waste recycling.

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Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. A high durability plastic- rubber blend. The acronym ABS is commonly used.

Aerated static pile, Composting system that uses a series of p e r forated pipes or an equivalent air distribution system running under neath a compost pile and connected to a device that either draws or blows air through the pile.

Aeration The process of exposing compost material to air.

Aerobic Requiring the presence of free oxygen.

Air classification. The mechanical process of separating materi- als by using an air stream.

Air classifier. A mechanical device that separates materials using an air stream.

Air knife. A blower device that employs an air stream to push selected materia$) off a conveyor.

Alligator shear. See shear.

Alloy. Metal produced by combining a basic metal with other met- als or non-metals to attain certain properties.

Alumina. The oxide of aluminum produced by the chemical proc- essing of bauxite.

Aluminum. A ductile, silvery-white metallic element. Its symbol is Al.

Aluminum brass. Brass to which aluminum has been added to improve resistance to corrosion.

Aluminum bronze. Copperaluminum alloys.

. Amber d e t . Broken brown glass containers.

Ambient moisture. The amount of moisture from the surround- ing air permissible in a shipment of secondary material.

American Forest & Paper Association. A Washington-based trade group representing forest products, paper and paperboard producers. The acronym AFPA is commonly used

American Paper Institute An o’ganization representing the paper and paperboard inddry. In 1993, API merged with other orga- nizations to form the American Forest & Paper Association (Washington)

American Plastics Council. A Washington-based alliance of plas- tics resin producers involved in solid waste and recycling issues. The acronym is APC.

American Society for Testing and Materials. See AsI1M.

Anaerobic In the absence of free oxygen.

Animal bedding. An agricultural product, occasionally made hum recovered paper, for use in livestock quarters

Anti-scavenge ordinance A governmental regulation prohibit- ing the unauthorized collection of secondary materials set out for pick up by a designated collector.

Asphalt-rubber. See rubberasphalt.

Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management officials. An organization based in Washington comisting of state agencies charged with regulating lanw disposal and incineration. The acronym is ASTSWMO.

At-the-desk separation. The sorting and storage of recyclable office papers on or beside the employee’s desk.

Auto wrecking. Dismantling of scrap automobiles to recover reusable and recyclable materials, followed by crushing and/or shredding.

Auto-tie. A mechanical device that automatidy wraps a bale with wire.

Avoided costs. Solid waste management cost savings resulting from a recycling program. One cost saving can be avoided dispos- al fees. Another avoided cost can be the saving in garbage collec- tion costs through rerouting and extended truck life.

BIRP. An acronym Recycling Program.

for a Beverage Industry

BOF. An acronym for basic oxygen furnace.

Back-end materials recovery. Secondary materials m v e r y from incinerated municipal solid waste.

Backhad The shipping of secondary materials by truck in cases where the trucker normally would be returning empty.

Backyard composting. The controlled biodegradation of leaves, grass clippw and/or other yard wastes on the site where they were generated.

Bale. A densified and bound cube of recyclable material, such as recovered paper, scrap metal or rags.

Bale tie. Annealed wire used to secure recovered paper, scrap met- als, textiles and other secondary materials in bales.

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Baler. A machine used to compress and bind secondary materials for shipment and storage.

Baling. The process of forming a bale in a baler by compression and binding.

Ballistic sepaxator. A device used in some composting operations that separates inorganic materials from organic matter.

Basic oxygen furnace. A steel production furnace that oxidizes molten pig iron. In some furnaces, ferrous scrap can be used for a small portion of the furnace charge (up to 35 percent). Pure oxy- gen entem the furnace at high speeds by a lance immersed in the charge. The acronym is BOF.

Batch process. A process in which raw materials, such as recov- ered metal, are fed into an end-use plant in discrete batches rather than continuously.

Bauxite. The ore from which most aluminum is made, usually containing 45 to 60 percent aluminum oxide.

. Benefication See beneficiation.

Beneficiation. In recycling, the mechanical process of removing contaminants and cleaning scrap glass containers. Beneficiation was originally a mining industry term for the treatment of a mate- rial to improve its form or properties, such as the crushing of ore to remove impurities.

Beverage Industry Recycling Program. A state coalition of bev- erage producers, packagers, wholesalers and retailers that under take activities in support of recychg, particularly buy-back cen- ters. BIRP systems operate in a handful of states. A common acronym is BIRP.

Bill of lading. A form that accompanies a shipment of secondary materials and acknowledges the receipt of goods for shipment.

Bi-metal can A beverage container with a steel body and an alu- minum top.

Binders waste. The paper trimmings generated in a book bindery.

Biodegradable. Organic material capable of being converted into basic compounds or elements by bacteria.

Bi-weekly service. Aa generally used, every-other-week service. As commonly used, it means twice-permonth service.

Blank news. Unprinted newsprint, commonly generated by pub- lishing plants.

Bleed trim. Printed, clean, all-white book-paper thmings pre- pared for recycling.

Block-leader promotion The use of volunteers to promote recy- cling collection service in a spec& block or neighborhood.

Bobcat. A small front-end loader used to move secondary mate- rials in a processing plant Bobcat is a trade name that has become synonymous with this type of equipment

Bogus corrugating medium. The fluted middle of corrugated containers made entirely from recovered paper.

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Bottle bank. A mobile, divided bin used for receiving, storing and transporting glass containers for recycling.

Bottle bill. A generic term for container deposit legislation,

Box clippings. Recovered paper in box plank Also called boxboard cuttings. Boxboard. Paperboard used in the man&cture of cartons and rigid boxes.

Boxboard cuttings. See box clippings.

Brass. A copper-zinc alloy.

Briquette. A very dense brick of proceeaed scrap metal.

Briquetter. A machine that produces briquettes.

British thermal unit. The quantity of heat required to increase the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. The common acronym is Btu.

Broke. Paper that has been discarded at a mill during manu&- b e , commonly as trhmhgs or spoiled paper. It can include both finished, dry paper as well as paper from the wet preas of a paper machine. Nearly all broke is repulped

Broker. A firm that purchases secondary materials from process- ors for resale to consumers, acting as an intermediary in the mar- ketplace. A broker typically does not take physical possesion of the secondary materials.

Bronze. An alloy of copper and tin.

Brown goods. Obsolete electronic products, such as radios and televisions. See also white goods.

Btu See British thermal unit

Buffer zone. Space or distance between a camposting or recycling operation and sensitive land areas, such as residential neighbor hoods.

Bulk grades. The high-volume grades of post-consumer recov- ered paper including old newspapers, old corrugated containers and mixed paper.

B u l k d e t box A pallet-sized reusable cormgated container used to ship cullet Also see Gaylord container.

Bulking agent. Material of relatively large particles such as wood chips used to create air spaces in a compost pile.

Buy-bad recycling center. A commercially located, staffed recy- cling facility that purchases small amounts of post-consumer sec- ondary materials from the public. Buy-back centers typically pu r chase aluminum cans and may also handle glass containers and newspaper. Little processing of materials occurs at buy-back cen- ters.

Buy-line. An integrated set of buy-back recycling center equip- ment that allows for the efficient weighing and purchase of used aluminum beverage cans.

By-product. A material produced without separate commercial intent during the manufacture or processing of other materials.

Elw*. C & D. Acronym for construction and demolition

CPO. An acronym for computer printout recovered paper.

Cy. An abbreviation for cubic yards.

Can separator. A machine developed in the 1970s to separate fe r row cans from aluminum beverage cans. See also magnetic sepa- rator.

Capacity. A meaaure of the maximum output under normal oper- ating conditions.

Capital costs, Outlays for real proper@ plant, equipment and other depreciable invments.

Capture rate The percent of generated secondary materials actu- ally recovered from a household or business.

Carbon black A reinforcing material used in manuhcturing rub- ber products producing ink pigments and smelting metals.

Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. The numerical ratio of the mass of carbon to the mass of nitrogen. The ratio determines in part the composting potential of an organic material, and serves as one indi- cator of product quality.

Carcass The foundation structure of a tire, including sidewalls, bead and cord.

Cardboard box. Generic term for old corrugated container.

Cascading. The use of a recovered material to make a product that cannot itself be recycled.

Cast iron A generic term for a series of alloys of iron, carbon and silicon.

Cellulose insulation Blow-in insulation produced from shred- ded and chemically treated old newspapers.

Chain-flail crusher. A simple, low-volume glass container crush- er that uses a motordriven chain.

Charge. The quantity of materials fed to a furnace.

Chemid pulp. pulp produced by breaking down wood into fibers by use of chemicals.

Chipboard. A form of paperboard that is produced commonly from recovered paper.

Chipper. A device using sharp blades attached to a rotating shaft to shave off pieces of an item

Clamshell bucket. A materials handling device used to hoist and move materials. It consists of two jaws that clamp together when lifted by specially attached cables.

Claw truck. A specially designed atiachment to a &ont-end loader used to pick up loose yard waste at the curb.

Closed-loop recycling. The use of a recyclable material, such as cullet, to make the same item, in this case a new glass bottle.

Co-collection The act of picking up secondary materials or com- postable materials simultaneously with solid wastes.

Co-composting. The composting of municipal solid waste and wastewater treatment plant sludge.

Collection The act of picking up secondary materials from homes, businesses, institutions or industxial sites.

Collection center. A site designed to accept secondary materials from individuals. See drop-off recycling center.

Collection frequency. The schedule for recycling collection serv- ice (eg., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, et.).

Colored ledger. See sorted color ledger.

Combiition board. See recycled paperboard

Commercial solid wastes Solid wastes generated by wholesale, retail or service businesses and multi-unit residential structures. Some communities d e h e insiitutional solid wastes as commercial solid wastes. Commercial solid wastes are one form of municipal solid wastes.

Commingled collection The pickvp of several recyclable mate- rials mixed together.

Common carrier. A firm licensed to ship materials for a fee.

Compacting drop box A roll-off box attached to a compacting device for receiving and compressing a secondary material, such as old corrugated containers.

Compactor. A power-driven device used to compress and reduce the volume of wastes or secondary materials.

Compost. As a noun, the humus-like organic product generated from composting. As a verb, to decay.

Composting. The microbial degradation of organic matter into a useful product.

Composting Council. An Alexandria, Viginia trade association that promotes composting. In 1992, renamed from the Solid Waste Composting Council.

Computer printout. As a paper stock grade, consists of white sul- fite and sulfate papers in forms manufactured for use in data pme essing machines. All stock must be untreated and uncoated. Sometimes referred to as (PO.

Construction and demolition waste. Waste material produced in the construction, remodeling, repair or demolition of pavements, buildings, homes, industrial plants and other structures.

Consumer. See end user.

Consumption The amount of any resource or energy used in a given time by a given number of people.

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1- Container board See containerboard.

Container d e t . Broken scrap glass bottles and jars. See also cullet.

Container deposit legislation A law requiring deposits on spe- cific beverage containers, such as beer and soft drink containers. An idiomatic term is bottle bill.

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Containerboard Paper products used for packaging and ship- Ping.

Contaminant. A material that is harmful to the recycling process when included with a recyclable material. Called contraries in some countries.

Contamination. Impurity.

Conversion or converting. Terms used in the paper industry for processes that convert paper or paperboard into products such as boxes and envelopes.

Converting scrap. The trim, shavings, spoiled products and other forms of recovered paper and paperboard generated in converting operations.

Conveyor. A mechanical device used to move materials between operations.

Copper. Malleable, ductile, reddish-brown metallic element. Its symbol is cu. Corrugating medium. Fluted paperboard used in making cor- rugated boxes.

Cradleto-grave. A system that handles solid waste from creation through disposal.

Crumb rubber. Ground or shredded rubber.

Crusher. A mechanical device used to break secondary materials, such as glass bottles, into smaller pieces.

Cryogenic processing. The fieezing and cracking of secondary materials to assist in separation.

Cdet. Broken scrap glass material, usually prepared in uniform, small pieces. See also container d e t .

Cultivation. In composting, accelerating the decomposition of biodegradable wastes by turning, watering, aerating, loosening and/or innoculating the waste with micro-organisms or fe-r to lower the carbodnitrogen ratio.

Curbside recycling. The generic term for scheduled recycling collection service to households. Some curbside recycling collec- tion programs collect from alleys. Typically, curbide recycling does not refer to service to multi-family dwellings.

Cyclone separator. A mechanical separation that uses a swirling air flow to sort small particles according to size and density.

DIY. An acronym for a do-it-yourself used oil

Dealer. A firm that ~Urchases. -des and DTOMW- es recovered paper or scrap metals lor sale to.Grokers andior end users.

Decompose. To decay or rot.

Degradable. Capable of being chemically reduced or degraded.

Degradation. Loss of properties through use.

Deink. The removal of ink, filler and other non-fibrous material from printed recovered paper.

Deink high grades. Printed recovered paper that can be deinked, such as white ledger.

Deinked paper stock. The pulp made from recovered paper d e w .

Delacquer. Process used to remove lacquer from scrap metals, such as aluminum cans.

Demurrage. 1) The detention of a truck or railroad car for the loading or unloading of secondary materials. 2) The compensa- tion paid to the shipper for detaining the truck or railroad car.

Densifier. A machine developed in the 1980s to compress used aluminum cans into a small, dense brick.

Density. The mass divided by the volume at a stated temperature.

Depolymerization. The conversion of scrap plastics to their base chemical constituents for reman&cture into new plastic resin.

Deposit. Money paid for an item that is refunded on return of the used product

Detinning. The chemical separation of tinplated steel, including scrap tin cans, into recyclable tin and steel.

Dedcanization. The processing of scrap tires by use of a ther mochemical reaction.

Dismander. An individual or firm that takes apart items for reuse and recycling, such as scrap autos or appliances.

Disposal cost savings. Savings of reduced waste hauling require- ments, avoided tipping fees and other operational cost savings relat- ed to waste disposal because of the operation of a recycling pro- gram.

Disposal surcharge. A special fee levied against waste disposal volumes.

Diversion credit. See waste diversion credit

Diversion rate. The amount of municipal solid waste diverted from disposal b u g h reduction, reuse and recycling efforts.

Do-it-yourse€fused oil changer. An individual who removes used motor oil from an automobile, truck, boat, etc. The acronym is DIY.

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Domestic cullet. Cullet generated from within a glam production facility. Also termed factory cullet

Domestic waste. See residential solid waste.

Door hanger. A printed card, distributed to households and hung on a door, promoting a recycling service.

Door trade. The volume of a dealer's or processor's business from purchasing materials delivered by peddlers, scavengers, individu- als and other independent suppliers. Also see over-the-scale trade.

Doubleram baler. A baler with a separate ram for compressing recyclable materials against a fixed wall and a second ram for eject- ing the finished bale. (Also see single-ram baler.)

Downgrad& To purchase a shipment of a secondary material at a grade lower than intended because the shipment does not con- form to the grade specified.

Downstroke baler. A bahg device in which the compression ram and platten move vertically in the chamber.

Drained whole batteries. A scrap metal grade consisting of lead- acid batteries free of liquid and extraneous material content.

Drivebys. The number of households or businesses on a spe- cific recycling collection route(s). This is the theoretical service population, given participation by all potential households or businesses.

Drop box. A rectangular metal box, generally ranging from 10 to 40 cubic yards in volume, that can be transported and dropped by a truck.

Drop-off center. A recycling collection location where citizens can deliver separated secondary materials, such as newspapers, g h ~ containers and metal cans. The typical center is unattended.

Dross. E;utraneous metallic matter created in the melting process.

Dumpand-pick. The recovery of secondary materials from mixed waste loads, often through manual sorting.

Durable. Lasting in spite of use.

Durable goods Products designed for long-term use, such as fur- niture, tires and appliances.

EPA. An acronym for the US. Environmental Protection Agency.

. Eddy current separation. The separation of non-ferrous scrap metals from mixed materials. The mixed materials pass through a varying magnetic field, creating eddy currents in the non-ferrous scrap. These currents counteract the magnetic field and exert a repelling force on the metals, thus separating the metals from the other materials.

Electric-arc furnace. A metal recycling furnace generating heat by using an electric arc between carbon electrodes and the furnace charge. In electric-arc steel furnaces, the charge is almost entire- ly ferrous scrap.

Emerald green. A color of green gl.p. containers.

End user. Mills and other industrial facilities where secondary materials are converted into new materials. Paper mills, steel mills and glass container production plants are examples of end users.

Export container. A stachble metal container, typically between 20 and 45 feet in length, used to transport secondary materials by ship.

Export density. The preferred density of a proceased secondary material destined for shipment to another country.

Exporter. An individual or 6m-1 specializing in the sale of recov- ered materia$) to foreign end users.

Extrusion Products formed by pushing material through a die on a special machine.

F.0.B An acronym for free on board

Factory d e t . See domestic d e t .

Feedstock. Raw material input to a process.

Ferrous. Pertaining to or derived from iron. Most ferrous metals are magnetic.

Fifth wheeL A device used to attach a trailer to a buck.

Fines. 1) Small, nonrecoverable waste materials generated in materials processing activities, such as shredding, trommeling and screening. 2) Short paper fibers that remain in the process water during paper manufacture.

Flake Clean, ground reclaimed plastic that has not been pelletized or re-extruded

Flint d e t . Broken clear glass containers.

Floor price. The minimum or base price in a secondary materi- al purchase contract

Flow control. A regulation or ordinance used by a government agency to assure that collected solid wastes or recyclables are deliv- ered to designated facilities. Some flow conlrol regulations prohibit or restrict h e market access to secondary materials.

Fluffer. A device used to fluff recovered paper in order to improve baling effectiveness.

Food waste composting. The separate collection and processing of food wastes, often including those organic wastes generated by restaurants and cafeterias.

Forced deposits. A term for container deposit legislation used by opponents of such measures. See container deposit legislation

Foreign d e t . A glass industry term for cullet supplied to a glass producer from an outside s o m .

Forklift truck A motorized vehicle that moves materials using a power-operated pronged platform that can be raised and lowered.

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Foundry. An industrial establishment for the production of metal castings, often using scrap metals.

Free on board. The location from which a purchase is transact- ed. Some buyers purchase secondary materials f.0.b. the suppli- er’s site and pay for shipping. Others pay f0.b. the buyer’s plant, thereby requiring the supplier to pay for shipping.

Free sheet paper. Paper that contains no more than 10 percent mechanical (groundwood) a e r , with the remainder being chem- ical wood pulp or secondary Ger.

Front-end loader. 1) A solid waste collection truck that has a power-driven l o a h mechanism at the front 2) A vehicle with a powerdriven scoop or bucket at the front, used to load secondary materials into processing equipment or shipping containers.

Fully allocated costs The assignment of all known costs of recy- cling to the program, including the portion of costs shared with other operations or programs. See partially added costs.

Furnish. The mixture of various materials used in making a type of paper or paperboard. .-

HDPE. An acronym for high-density polyethylene plastic. See polyethylenes. IHI

GPL An acronym for the Glass Packagmg Institute.

Garbage. 1) Discarded food wastes. 2) Wastes likely to decompose.

Gaylord container. The trade name for a large reusable com- gated container used for shipping materials (dimensions approxi- mately 40” by 48” by 37”).

Generate. To originate or produce.

Generator. An individual, company, organization or activity that produces wastes or secondary materials.

Georgia green. A color of green glass containers.

GlaspMt. An alternate spelling of glassphalt.

Glass, An inorganic product resulting from fusion that has cooled to a rigid condition without cryshhing. For precision, the term ‘‘glad’ should not be used alone, as there are numerous glass prod- ucts, such as glass containers, flat glass and glass tableware.

Glass bead A family of silica products used in a variety of manu- facturing and industrial applications, including sand blasting, paint m a ” e and tile production

Glass containers Glass bottles and jars used to package food, beer, liquor, wine, juice, soft drinks, medicine, toiletries and chemicals.

Glass Packaging Institute. The Washiion-based trade group representing glass container producers. The acronym is GPI.

Glassphalt. Trade name for a highway paving material in which recovered ground glass replaces some of the gravel normally used in asphalt. An alternate spelling is glasphalt.

Gooseneck trailer. A trailer attached to a truck using a slender, curved hitch.

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Governmental Refuse Collection and Disposal Association. The former name of the Solid Waste Association of North America

Grab sample. A single sample of a secondary material taken at no set time for evaluation or t-.

Grade. A class of secondary material that is distinguished from similar classes on the basis of quality, color, use, content, appear ance, density or other factors. Grades of recyclable materials can be determined informally as part of common industry practices or officially as part of a trade association or governmental effort.

Grading. The sorting or classitication of secondary materials into specific grades.

Granulator. A mechanical device that produces small plastic pa r ticles.

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Grapple. A type of crane bucket having more than two teeth.

Grasscycling. The composting of grass clippings on the lawn.

Gravity separation. The separation of mixed materials based on the differences of material sue and specific gravity.

Grinding. A size reduction technique usually employing a series of rollers.

Gross ton A measure of weight equal to 1.016 metric tons or 2,244) pounds. Also called long ton. See net ton

Ground cover. Material used to cover the soil surface to control erosion and leaching, shade the ground and offer protection from excessive heaving and freezing. Some ground covers are produced from yard waste compost

Groundwood papers. Paper produced from mechanical pulp.

Guillotine shear. See shear. - . * Hammermill shredder. A broad group of

machines that crush, chip or grind materials. Hammermill shred- ders typically employ high-speed rotating equipment with b e d or pivoting hammers on a horizontal or vertical shaft

Heavy metals. Metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury that are persistent in the environment and are poisonous.

Heavy-media separation The use of a fluid medium to separate materials. The fluid’s density lies between the heavy and light frac- tions being separated.

High-grade recovered paper. Recovered paper with the most value, consisting of the pulp substitute and deinking high grade categories.

Hog fueL Shredded wood waste used as a fuel. Also termed hogged fuel.

Home composting. Management of household organic waste by aerobic decomposition at home.

Home scrap. Scrap that is used within the plant where it origi- nates.

Horizontal baler. A baling device in which the ram and platten move horizontally in the chamber.

Household hazardous waste. Hazardous waste that is generated from consumer products used in the home, such as cleaning sup- plies, batteries, pesticides, paints and photography chemicals.

Household separation unit. See household storage container.

Household storage container. A smal l bin, tub, pail or box pro- vided to residents for use in storing secondary materials and for carrying them to the curb for collection

Household waste. See residential solid waste.

Humus. The organic portion of soil created by the partial decom- p d o n of organic matter. Yard waste compwting can mate humus.

Hydrapulper. Trade name for a pulp mill machine that uses a rotor and blades to mix dry fibers, such as recovered paper, and water to produce a pulp slurry.

Hydraulic Moved or operated by fluid under presrure.

Hydromulch. See waste paper hydromulch. - ICI. An acronym for industrial, commercial and institutional solid wastes, as differentiated from res- III idential solid wastes.

IGP. An acronym for an intermediate glass processor.

IPC An acronym for intermediate proceming center.

ISIS. An acronym for the now-defunct Institute of Scrap Iron and SteeL See the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.

ISRL An acronym for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.

Idler belt. A conveyor belt that rides on rollers.

Igloo. A half-sphere container used at drop-off centers for the receipt and storage of residential recyclable materials, such as glass and metal containers.

Incremental costs. See partially allocated costs.

Industrial scrap. Secondary materials generated by a manu&- turing operation.

Industrial wastes. Solid and liquid wastes generated by industry. Often this is in the form of slags, sludges, cakes, fines and dusts. Only a few communities consider industrial wastes as a sub-set of municipal solid wastes.

Ingot. A cast form suitable for shipping, remelting and/or fabri- cating.

inorganic substances. Inorganic Not composed of once-living material. Minerals are

Mite of Scrap Iron and Steel See Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. The acronym was ISIS.

Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. An organization formed from the merger of the National Association of Recycling Industries and the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel. The organization repre- sents primarily scrap metal processors and recovered paper deal- ers, and is located in Washington. Commonly known as ISH.

Institutional rags. A grade of recyclable textiles consisting of old and discarded clothing.

Instiitional solid wastes. Solid wastes generated by sch00la, hos- pitals, universities, museums, governments and other institutiona Some communities d e h e institutional solid wastes as commercial solid wastes. Institutional solid wastea are one portion of munici- pal solid wastes.

Integrated paper mill. A paper or paperboard mill that produces nearly all its own pulp. A partially integrated mill produces some but not all of its pulp.

Integrated waste management. A solid waste management strat- egy that ranks the preferred alternatives in the following order: source reduction and reuse, recycling, resource recovev and land-

Intensive recycling. A concept promoted by opponents of waste- to-energy systems, whereby municipal recycling efforts target all recyclables and compostables in the waste stream.

Intermediate glass processor. Businesses that purchase scrap glass materials from suppliers, process the glass materials and sell the contaminant-free cullet to consuming plants. A common acronym is IGP.

Intermediate processing center. An acronym is IPC. See mate- rials recovery hcility.

Intermodal shipping. The linlung of two form of transportation, such as trucks and railroads, to ship materials. For example, one might use intermodal shipping by loading secondary materials in a truck trailer, trucking it to a railroad yard, putting the trailer on a railcar, moving the trailer by rail and unloading it for truck deliv- ery to the receiving mill.

Investment tax credit, A reduction in taxes permitted for the pur chase and installation of spec& types of equipment and other investments.

Irony aluminum. Obsolete aluminum scrap, such as lawn chairs, screen doors and automobile part containing a d amount of iron or steel pins, brads, bolts, screws and nuts.

fill disposal

Junk. As-generated secondary materiala

Junk yard. A common term for an auto disman- tling or scrap metal +ocesaing facility.

Junker. A device used in a hydrapulper to remove contaminants such as twine, wire and rags.

9

Kraft paper. A comparatively coarse, strong paper made primarily from wood pulp produced by the sulfate process.

LDPE. An acronym for low-density See polyethylenes.

polyethylene.

Leachate. Liquid that has passed through, been in contact with or produced in a landfill or compost pile.

Lead Blue-white, soft metal occurring mainly as galena Its sym- bol is Pb.

Lead-acid battery. The type of electrical storage battery com- monly used in autos and trucks.

Leafate A term used by some yard waste composting profession- als for the leachate €" leaf piles.

Ledger paper. Writing paper used for accoUnting, bookkeeping and correspondence. See sorted white ledger and sorted colored ledger.

Mecycle analysis. the total environmental effects (such as resource use, and air and water pollution) for a spec& product or product category, including mining, manufacturing, transport- ing, using and recycling, l a n a n g or burning.

Lifecycle value. The Value of an asset in terms of its operating life.

Light copper. Miscellaneous, unalloyed copper scrap having a nominal 92 percent copper content (88 percent minimum).

Lierboard. Kraft paperboard used to line or face corrugating medium on both sides to form boxes and other corrugated con- tainers.

Litter. Solid waste scattered about in a careless manner.

Litter tax. A fee paid by manufacturers, distributors and retailers of goods that commonly end up as litter.

Loam A mixture of silt, sand or clay, or a combination of any of these, with humus. See humus.

Logger. A mechanical device used to flatten scrap metal such as white goods. Many loggers are mobile and are taken periodically to disposal sites to process collected scrap metal

Long stock. Recovered paper with relatively long fibers.

Long ton See gross ton. .- MRF. An acronym for materials recovery facil- ity or materials recycling facility.

MSW. An acronym for municipal solid waste.

Machine broke. See broke.

Magnetic separator. A device, such as a pulley, drum or belt, used to capture femus scrap from a stream of material A can separa- tor is one form of magnetic separator.

Mandatory recycling. hgrams mquking by ordinance or statute that residents or busineases keep s p e d c secondary materials l h m their solid wastes and prepare the materials for recycling.

Manual-tie. Equipment requiring use of manual labor to wrap a bale or bundle with wire or strapping.

Market A h or operation purchasing secondary materials. The term of reference may vary. For instance, a processor is consid- ered a market for a collector while an end user is considered a m a r ket for processors.

Material specifications. See specifications.

Materials recovery facility or materials recycling facility. 1) A term commonly used for a facility that separates mixed glass and metal containers and processes the materials for sale to end users. 2) A firm that purchases, proceases and markets source-separated materials. For instance, under this definition a recovered paper dealer would be a materials recovery facility. The acronym is MRF. Also see intermediate processing center.

Mechanical pulp. Pulp produced by grinding wood into fibers.

Melt. A specific quantity of steel or glass made at one time.

Merchant facility. A solid waste or recycling facility, such as a MRF, built and operated without government support (funding, flow control, etc.).

Metals. All ferrous, non-ferrous and alloy materials.

Metric ton. A unit of m w in the metric system equal to 1,000 kilograms, or 2JM.62 pounds.

Midnight dumper. An idiomatic term for an individual or busi- nes that disposes of waste in an illegal stealthy manner.

Mill broke. See broke.

Mini-miU A metal recycling facility that is smaller in capacity than typical mills and produces a limited number of products. Nearly all steel and aluminum mini-mills use scrap exclusively.

Mini" content legislatio~~ A law that requhw a spec& prod- uct or form of packing to contain a minimum amount of recycled material

Mixed thermoplastics. A mixture of pos t - comer and indus- trial plastics used to produce compressed sections and other prod- UCtS.

Mixed waste paper or mixed recovered paper. A mixture of various grades of recyclable paper not limited by packing or fiber content.

Mixed waste processing. The removal of recoverable materials from solid wastes through manual and/or mechanical means.

10

Mixed-color d e t . Cullet not sorted by color.

Moisture content. The weight loss in percent when a material is dried.

Molded pulp products. Products such as egg cartons and f i t flats formed from a pulp slurry in a contoured mold.

Mulch. An organic product, produced from the yard waste com- posting process, for placement on the soil or lawn to improve grow- ing conditions, retain soil moisture and supply minimal levels of nutrients.

Mullen test. The measurement of a paper’s resistance to a burst- ing pressure.

Multi-material. A collection or processing system handling more than one secondary material. For example, a drop-off center accept- ing newspaper and aluminum cans is considered a multi-material operation.

Municipal aluminum scrap. Mixed aluminum alloy products recovered from municipal solid waste.

Municipal solid waste. Wastes generated by residents, business- es and institutions. The acronym MSW is commonly used.

NAPCOR An acronym for the National IN1 Association for Plastic Container Recovery.

NRC. An acronym for the National Recyclmg Coalition.

NSWMA. An acronym for the National Solid Wastes Management Association

National Association for Plastic Container Recovery. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based organization promoting the recov- ery of PET plastic bottles. The acronym is NAPCOR.

National Recycling Coalition. A Washington-based organization representing a variety of waste recovery interests, with a primary emphasis on municipal waste recycling. Commonly known as NRC.

National Solid Wastes Management Association. A Washington- based organization that represents primarily private waste haulers and land6ll operators. Commonly known as NSWMk

Natural resources. The supply of materials, not made by man, that are used for making goods. Also called raw, primary or virgin materials.

Negative sort. Allowing a single recyclable to remain on a sorting belt while removing contaminants and/or other recyclables. Also see positive sort.

Net ton 2,000 pounds. Also called short ton. See gross ton.

Newsprint. The type of paper generally used for printing news- papers.

No. 2 copper. Miscellaneous, unalloyed copper scrap having a nominal 96 percent copper content (94 percent minimum).

Non-ferrous scrap metals. Metals that contain no iron.

Nonreturnable. A package that cannot be returned to the retail- er or supplier for re6lling.

OCC. An acronym for old corrugated containers. la 0 & M. An acronym for operation and maintenance of a facility or a piece of equipment See operating costa.

OMG. An acronym for old magazines.

OW. An acronym for old newspapers.

OTD. An acronym for old telephone directories.

Obsolescence, The process of bewming useless.

Obsolete scrap. A term used in the ferrous scrap processing indus- try for products that have completed their useful economic life.

Office paper. Secondary fibers produced by office workers, includ- ing ledger, computer and bond papers.

Off-specification resins. Plastic resin supplies that do not meet producer requirements or are surplus to demand. M-specifica- tion resins often compete against recycled plastics. Also called off- spec resins.

Old corrugated containers. As a paper stock grade, baled cor- rugated containers with liners of test liner, jute or kraft. The boxes are generated in retail stores, factories and homes when merchan- dise is removed from them. A common acronym is OCC.

Old magazines. A grade of recovered paper consisting of coated magazines, catalogs and similar printed materials.

Old newspapers. As a paper stock grade, baled rinted newspa- pers (containing less than 5 percent of other grades that have been distributed to readers and are available for recycling. A common acronym is OW.

Old scrap zinc Clean dry zinc scrap, such as sheets, jar lids, cast- ings and anti-corrosion plates.

Old telephone directories. A grade of recovered paper consist- ing of printed telephone books distxibuted to residents, businesses and institutions. The acronym is OTD.

Operating costs. Recurring program costs, such as labor, equip- ment operation and maintenance, utilities, administration and pro- motion

Ordinance. A local government statute.

Organic Living or once-living material.

Outthrow. Recovered paper so manufaciurd or treated or in such a form as to be unsuitable at another grade. For instance, old news- papers are an outthrow when s e h g old corrugated wntainers but are not an outthrow of mixed paper.

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Over-issue newspaper. Printed newspapers that were not circu- lated and are available for recycling.

Over-the-de trade. The volume of business at a dealer or p r w essor generated fiom purchasihg materials delivered by indepen- dent scavengers, peddlers, individuals and others. Also see door trade.

IpII ~ ~ y ~ ~ r o n y m for polyethylene plastic see poly-

PET. An acronym for polyethylene terephthalate plastic

PP. An acronym for polypropylene plastic.

PS. An acronym for polystyrene plastic

PSL 1) An acronym for the Paper Stock Institute of America, a division of the Institute of Scrap Re cling Industries. 2) Pressure in pounds of force per square inchzsi).

PVC. An acronym for polyvinyl chloride.

Package source reduction. The reduction of the we’ght of or vol- ume of the materials used to package a product

Packer. 1) A processing operation where recovered paper is con- verted into paper stock and baled for shipment to consumers. (2) A solid waste collection vehicle employing a compaction mecha- nism

Paper. A type of matted or sheeted fibrous product In common terms, paper is distinguished from paperboard by being lighter, thinner and more flexible. See also specialty products.

Paper stock. Sorted and graded recovered paper meeting mill specitications. An alternate spel lq is papemtock

Paperboard. A type of matted or sheeted fibrous produd In com- mon terms, paperboard is distinguished from paper by being heav- ier, thicker and more rigid. See also specialty products.

Paperstock. An alternate spelling for paper stock

Partially allocated costs. The costs of adding a recycling program to an existing operation such as a waste hauling company or pub- lic works department Also known as incremental costs.

Participation rate. The percentage of households and/or busi- neses actually participating in a recycling program.

Passbys. The total number of potential participants on a residen- tial recycling collection route.

Peddler. A historic term for individual scrap metal and recovered paper collectors.

Pellet. A small piece of clean extruded plastic.

Pelletizer. A machine that produces chips or granules. Pelletizers are commonly used in plastics processing.

Photodegradable A process where ultraviolet radiation degrades

the chemical bond or link in the polymer or chemical structure of a plastic.

Picking belt. A conveyor and work stations used in the manual sorting of secondary materials from a solid waste or recyclables stream.

Pit baler. See upstroke baler.

Plastic A specific polymer in combination with various amounts of plasticisers, stabilizers, colorants, fillers and other organic and inorganic compounds.

Plastics Man-made materials consisting primarily of molecules (“polymers”) containing hydrogen, carbon and oxygen

Platen. The rectvlgular face of a baling ram. The platen pushes or compresses the secondary material into the baling chamber.

Polyethylene terephthalate. A lightweight, transparent, rigid polymer resistant to chemicals and moisture, and with good insu- lating properties. The acronym is PET.

Polyethylenes A group of resins created by polymerizing ethyl- ene gas. The two major categories are high-density polyethylene O P E ) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

Polymer. A large molecule containing a chain of chemically linked sub-units (monomers).

Polyolefins. A plastics sub-group including polyethylene and polypropylene.

Polypropylene. Any of various thermpoplastic resins that are poly- mers of propylene. PP is a common acronym.

Polystyrene. A hard, dimensionally stable thermopMc that is easily molded. PS is a common acronym.

Polyvinyl chloride. A plastic made by polymerization of vinyl chloride with peroxide c a t a l ~ . A common acronym is PVC

Positive sort. Physically removing a recyclable, such as using a magnet to remove ferrous scrap, f” a stream of mixed recyclables. Also see negative sort

Post-consumer wastc A discard generated by a business or resi- dence and that has ful6lled its useful life. Post-consumer waste does not include discards fiom industrial and manufa&% processes.

Precycling. Making environmentally thoughtful purchahg deci- sions.

.

Pressure. The total force acting on a surface, expressed as a weight per unit

Price index. A list of secondary material prices published by an independent firm on a periodic basis.

Price preference. The practice of purchasing recycled products even if they are more expensive, within speczed levels, than non- recycled goods.

Primary materials- See natural resources.

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Process waste. Discards from an industrial process.

Processor. A recycling operation where secondary materials are sorted, graded, cleaned, densified or packaged. Included are scrap metal yards and recovered paper dealers.

Product charge. An excise tax levied on specific products or acts of production

Prohibitive m a t e d 1) Any material included in paper stock, in excess of the amount allowed, that will make the paper stock shipment unusable at the grade specified. 2) Any materials that may be damaging to recycling equipment

Prompt industrial scrap. Ferrous scrap generated by fabricators.

Pulp. Fibrous material used to make paper and paperboard.

Pulp substitutes. Unprinted, clean recovered paper that can be used directly in papermaking.

Pulper. See hydrapulper.

Purchased scrap. Secondary materials obtained by an end user from outside sources.

Putrescible wastes. Wastes that decay or decompose and may produce foul odors.

Pyrolysis. Chemical decompasition of organic materials by heat- ing them in a low-oxygen environment.

RCRk An acronym for the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

RFB. An acronym for request for bid.

RFP. An acronym for request for proposal.

RFQ. An acronym for request for qdfications.

RSW. An acronym for residential solid waste.

Rack collection. The collection of old newspapers at the same time as residential waste collection. The waste paper is placed in a side or front rack attached to the waste collection truck

Rag sorter. A h that grades post-consumer textile scrap by mate- rial content, condition or product.

Ragger. See junker.

Raw materials. See natural resources.

Reclaimed rubber. The reclamation of rubber from scrap tires by grinding, shredding and pulverizing the tire, and exposing the material to a thermochemical reaction. See devulcanization.

Recovered material. Material that has been diverted from solid waste, but not including material generated from and commonly reused within an original manuhcturing process (see broke and home scrap).

Recovered paper. Recyclable paper and paperboard. Formerly called "waste" paper.

Recovered paper mulch. A growing medium produced from recovered paper.

Recovery rate The total amount of solid waste recovered through source reduction, reuse and recycling in a given community. Commonly, the recovery rate is e x p d as a percent of mlid waste generation.

Recyclable. When commonly used, refers to the technical ability of a material to be reused in manufactme. A more precise defin- tion incorporates requirements that a recychg collection, proc- essing and market system be in place and economically function- ing in order for a material to be recyclable. Using this dehition, many materials are technically capable of being recycled but are not considered recyclable due to the lack of a viable recovery sys- tem.

Recycled content. The percentage of recovered materials incor porated into a product

Recycled paperboard. Paperboard made from a variety of sec- ondary fibers. Also called combination board.

Recycling. Commonly, recycling is the use of secondary materi- als in the production of new items. Recycling by definition often includes materials reuse.

Recycling efficiency. The likelihood a recychg program partic- ipant will prepare a specific material for recycling.

Recycling processor. A generic term for businesses and opera- tions that prepare secondary materials for sale to end users. Recovered paper dealers, scrap metal y d , drop-off centers and buy-back centers are examples of recyclmg processors.

Redemption. To return a secondary material to the original sup- plier.

Reduction. To diminish the amount of solid waste destined for disposal.

Regrind Ground-up recyclable plastics.

Remanufacturing. The rehabilitation or repair of durable items such as motors, automotive pa& and transformers.

Rendering. Apmcess where the remains of anhals, fish and other wastes from slaughter houses and butcher shop are cooked or dis- solved with a solvent to derive fa& oil and a protein residue.

R y e s t for b id A mechanism for seeking bidders to supply recy- c h g goods and services or to purchase secondary materials. An acronym is RFB.

Request for proposal. A mechanism for seeking quaWed firms or individuals to supply recycling goods or services. A common acronym is RFT'.

Request for qualifications. A mechanism for determining the experience, skills, h c i a l resources or expertise of a potential bid- der or proposer. Commonly abbreviated as RFQ.

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Rerefined motor o i l Reclaimed lubrication oil processed for reuse.

Rerefiner. A h producing re-rehed motor oiL

Rerefhing. The use of petroleum refining techniques on used motor oil to produce lubrication stocks.

Residential solid waste. Solid waste generated h m housing shuc- tures. An acronym is RSW.

Residue. Wastes generated from the proce&ng of secondary mate rials, such as fines and organic contaminants.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act A 1976 federal law on which much of the US. Environmental Protection Agency's solid and hazardous waste program is based.

Resource recovery. I) The use of solid waste to produce ener gy. 2) All forms of materials recovery and energy recovery.

Retreading. Removal of the worn tread and the fitting of a new tread on an undamaged tire casing.

Returnable. An item that can be returned to the original suppli- er for ultimate reuse.

Reverse vending machines. Fully automated machines that receive used beverage containers and issue cash or a coupon to the consumer based on the number or weight of containers redeemed

Revert scrap. See home scrap.

RolI-off truck. A special truck that deposits and picks up drop boxes at a site.

Roofing felt. An interim product made from recovered paper and then used in making roofing material.

Rubber-asphalt. A product that combines ground-up scrap tires and asphalt It is primarily used in highway, runway and street projects as a btress-absorbing membrane interlayer.

Rubbish Solid waste that does not contain food waste.

Runaround scrap. See home scrap.

SPI. An acronym for the Society of the Plastics Industry.

SRI. Acronym for the Steel Recycling Institute.

Salvage. The act of obtaining a secondary material through col- lection, sorting, etc.

Scavenging. The unauthorized and uncontrolled removal of sec- ondary materials.

Scrap. A waste material that is usually segregated and suitable for recycling or reuse.

Scrap tire. A tire considered unusable due to a worn tread or dam- aged carcass.

Scrap yard. A recycling processing facility, generally for scrap metals.

Secondary fibers. A term for recovered paper.

Secondary material. Recyclable materials, such as recovered paper and scrap metals.

Secondary smelter. An industrial facility for the remelting of non- ferrous scrap metal, such as copper, lead or aluminum. Secondary smelters typically produce intermediate products, such as ingots.

Self haulers. Resident and businesses that had their own solid wastes to transfer or disposal sites.

Set out. 1) The amount of material (wei t or volume) put out for recycling collection by a participant. 2 r To place recyclables at the curb for collection. 3) A slngle incidence of participation in recychg collection. See stop.

Shear. A device used to reduce scrap metals in size. It employs two large blades (alligator shear) or a blade and a stationary edge (guillotine shear).

Short ton 2,000 pounds. Also called net ton.

Shredder. A mechanical device that tears or grinds material to reduce it in size.

Shrinkage The difference in the purchase weight of a secondary material and the actual weight of the material when consumed. For example, ambient and beverage moisture in purchased used aluminum cans is a cause of shrinkage at a secondary aluminum smelter. Also see tare.

Single-ram baler. A baler with a single hydraulic cylinder that compresses feedstock and ejects the finished bale. The baler can be open-end or close-end. Also see double-ram baler.

Slider belt. A conveyor belt that rides on a flat surface.

Smelting. A metallurgical operation in which metal is separated by fusion from impurities with which it may be chemically com- bined or physically mixed.

Society of the Plastics Lndustry. A Washington, D.C- based o r ganizaton representing plastics producers. hn"mnly known as SPL

Sod amendment. Any material, such as yard waste compost, added to the soil to improve soil chemistry.

Soil conditioner. Any material, such as yard waste compost, added to the soil to improve the physical soil structure.

Solid waste Waste materials produced by residents, businesses, institutions and industry, not including liquids, hazardous wastes and other non-solid materials.

Solid Waste Association of North America. A Silver Spriq, Maryland-based organization representing government agencies that manage solid wastes. Also known as SWANA

Solid Waste Composting Council. In 1992, renamed the Composting CounciL

14

Sorted colored ledger. As a paper stock grade, consists of print- ed or unprinted sheets, shavings and cuttings of colored or white ledger, bond, writing and other papers. This grade must be free of treated, coated, padded or heavily printed stock

Sorted white ledger. As a paper stock grade, consists of printed or unprinted sheets, shavings, books and cuttings of white ledger, bond, wriiing and other papers. This grade must be free of treat- ed, coated, padded or heavily printed stock.

Source reduction An action that reduces the generation of waste at the source.

Source separation The preparation of individual secondary mate rials at the point of generation for recycling.

Sourceseparated organics. The separate collection and com- posting of organic materials i h m homes, businesses and/or insti- tUtiOnS.

Special news deink quality. As a paper stock grade, consists of baled, sorted, fresh dry newspapers, free from magazines and con- taining no more than the normal percentage of colored sections.

Special wastes. Any waste requiring special handling, such as scrap tires, used motor oil, hospital wastes or household hazardous wastes.

Specialty products. A category of fiber products including insu- lation board, roofing felt, cellulose insulation, animal bedding, hydromulch and molded pulp The other two principal forms of &er products are paper and paperboard.

Specifications. The characteristics of a recyclable material that meet necessary performance requirements.

Splitting of tires. Cutting of scrap tires to obtain small pieces with which to make products such as mats.

Static pile. Similar to an aerated static pile for composting, except that the air source may or may not be controlled

SteeL An alloy of iron and carbon. The carbon content is usual- ly between 0.2 and 1.7 percent. Steel products can contain addi- tional alloys, such as nickel, copper, tungsten, cobalt, silicon and manganese.

Steel Recycling Institute. A Pittsburgh-based organization pro- moting the recovery of ferrous scrap. The acronym is SRI. Until 1993, the group was known as the Steel Can Recycling Institute.

Stickies. Contaminants such as tape that adhere to paper mill equipment.

Stop. A stop made by a recycling collection vehicle and crew to pick up materials from a household or business. See set out

Strapping. A steel band used to hold a bale together.

-

Sulfate pulp. Kraft pulp produced by chemical methods using an alkaline solution of caustic soda and sodium suEte. Sulfate pulp is used primarily in paperboard and coarse paper grades.

Sulfite pulp. Acid pulp produced by chemically cooking wood using sulfurous acid. Sulfite pulp is used for most printing and tis- sue grades of paper.

Sweat furnace. A scrap metal processing device that separates metals by melting at different temperatures. A sweat furnace is commonly used to process irony aluminum.

TDF. An acronym for tire-derived fuel

TPD, TPW, TPY. Acronyms for tons per day, tons per week and tons per year, respectively.

Tab cards. Manila computer tabulation cards.

Tam The weight of extraneous material, such as pallets, shipping conthem, strapping, and bulkhead and side boards, that is deduck ed ihm the gross welght of a secondary material shipment to obtain net weight.

Tare weight. The weight of an unloaded vehicle or storage recep- tacle, such as an export container.

Thermomechanical pulp. Pulp produced by heating wood, then subjecting it to repeated compressions and stress relaxaiions between opposite bars and grooves to break the wood into &em.

Thermoplastics. Plastic materials that can be melted to a liquid or semi-fluid state, which then reharden when cooled.

Thermosets. Plastic materials set to permanent shapes when heat and p m are applied during forming, and which cannot be soft- ened again when reheated.

Third-party system An operation in a beverage container deposit state that picks up containers from retail outlets, counts and sorts the containers, and processes the materials for recycling.

T i n A malleable, ductile, soft white metallic element with a low melting temperature. Its symbol is Sn.

Tin can A container made from tin-plated steel The tin coating typically consists of 0.25 to 4.0 percent of the can’s weight.

Tm-free steeL Steel coated with chromium oxide rather than tin for use in the production of food and beverage cans.

Tipping fee. A fee for unloading solid waste at a disposal or trans- fer facility, or for unloading recyclables at a processii facility.

Tire casing. The structural part of a tire left after the tread has wom of€ See carcass.

Tirederived fueL A form of fuel consisting of scrap tires shred- ded into chips. The acronym is TDF.

Tolling. The processing of secondary materials for a fee.

Ton. A unit of weight equal to .907 metric tons, or 2,000 pounds. See gross, long, metric, net and short ton.

Tonne. See metric ton.

Top dressing. A covering material, such as yard waste compost, spread on soil without being plowed under.

15

Trade waste. A European term for recyclable materials such as envelope cuttings and boxboard cuttings generated by manufac- turera

UBC. An acronym for used beverage cans. lul

Trash. Solid waste materials, including plant trimmings but not including food waste.

Tread The outer portion of a tire that meets the road.

Trippage. The number of times a refillable container returns for refilling.

Trommel screen. A cylindrical rotating drum with appropriate- ly sued openings in the shell and open at both ends. The cylinder is mounted horizontally and at a slight angle, with the material introduced at the b h end. The rotating action causes the mate- rial to tumble down the incline, resuhing in the small &action falling through the openings. The oversize fraction drops out at the low end

Tub grinder. A machine used to process agricultural and organ- ic wastes, including yard debris. The device incorporates a rotat- . . ing tub feeding a grinder.

- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The federal agency created in 1970 and charged with the enforcement of all federal regulations having to do with environmental pollu- tants. Also known as EPA.

Upstroke baler. A baling device in which the compression r a m and platen move upward into the chamber. Pit balers are a type of upstroke baler.

Used beverage cans. Used cans generated from the consumption of beer, soft drinks, juice and other beverages. The reference is typically to used aluminum cans. Also known as UBC.

Used brown kraft As a paper stock grade, consists of baled brown kraft bags free of objectionable contents.

Used motor oil. Any oil previously used in machinery. - Vermicomposting. The use of worms to dgest raw or stabilized organic waste.

Vertical baler. Downstroke or upstroke baler.

Vibrating screen. A mechanical device that sorts material accord- ing to size.

Virgin materials. See natural resources.

Voluntary separation. Participation in waste recycling willingly, as opposed to mandatory recycling.

Vulcanization. The process of treating crude rubber to make it non-plastic and to increase its strength and elasticity. Vulcanization involves the use of sulfur and heat, thereby cross-linkmg the poly- mer chain

Waste composition. The relative amount of various types of materials in a spec& waste llwll stream.

Waste diversion credii A financial incentive provided to munic- ipalities or private recycling operations based on the tonnage divert- ed from the waste stream.

Waste exchange. The use by one company of an industrial waste generated by another firm.

Waste minimization. An action leading to the reduction of waste generation, particularly by industrial h.

Waste paper. Recyclable paper and paperboard. See recovered paper and paperboard.

Waste reduction. The prevention of waste at its s o w .

Waste reuse. See reuse.

-

Waste stream. The waste material output of a wmmunity, region or bcility.

Wet strength Paper that has been treated chemically to increase its tensile strength. When recovered and repulped, wet strength paper presents special problems in defibering.

White goods. A generic term for obsolete major appliances such as refrigerators, water heaters and stoves. The term derives from the white enameled metal used in many appliances. See also brown goods.

White ledger. See sorted white ledger.

Windrowing. The placement and management of compostable material in piled rows, where micro-organisms break down o’gan- ic material into a finished compost product

Wiping cloth. A recycled product made from scrap textiles and used in industrial and commercial applications as a cleaning rag.

Wood pulp. The primary material from which most paper and paperboard are made. It consists of small, loose wood fibers mixed with water.

11 y 11 Yard debris. See y d waste.

L w Yard waste. Leaves, grass clippings and other organic wastes produced as part of yard and garden

development and maintenance. rev 9/97

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