Welcome To Wirral

Aeration

The process of exposing compost material to air.

Anaerobic Digestion

The turning of organic waste into soil conditioner using the process of biodegration without oxygen.

Bale

A compacted and bound cube of recyclable material.

Baler

Equipment that compacts and binds recyclable materials to reduce volume and transportation costs (BALING).

Biodegradable

Materials that break down through natural processes.

Bring site

Bring site is another name for the recycling sites you see in supermarket car parks, on estates or on streets. Sites consist of different recycling banks for different materials.

Buy recycled

This is as important as recycling. In order for recycling to be a success we all need to buy products made from recycled materials.

Commercial waste

Rubbish from buildings, which are used mainly for trade, business, sport, recreation or entertainment. For example a school, a leisure centre, a supermarket or an office building.

Compost

Decaying plant material, this is added to earth to improve its quality.

Composting

The process of making compost.

Construction or demolition waste

Rubbish from the construction, repair, maintenance and demolition of buildings. It mainly includes bricks, concrete, soil and wood. For example, rubbish that is created when building a new road.

Closed-loop recycling

Recycling materials into their original form, such as using glass cullet to make new bottles rather than incorporating it into asphalt to make roads and pavements.

Co-mingled Materials

Recyclables, all mixed together, such as plastic bottles with glass and metal containers. Co-mingled materials require sorting after collection.

Cullet

Broken or crushed glass ready for reprocessing.

Emissions

Gases, solids and liquids discharged into the air, water or ground.

Energy from Waste

This is the production of energy from waste. This can be in the form of burning solid waste in an incinerator or collecting gases such as methane from landfill sites. The heat produced is used to make electricity.

Fly tipping

Rubbish which is dumped illegally by householders or businesses. This can be anything from old furniture to bags of rubbish or cars. Fly tipping is illegal and can carry a fine, or in some cases a more serious punishment.

Hazardous waste

The definition of hazardous waste in the UK has always been debated. Usually referred to as 'special waste', it has been controlled in the UK under the special waste regulations 1996. The new EU hazardous waste directory will clarify the definition and replace 'special waste'.

Household waste recycling centre

A local amenity site used to dispose and recycle refuse. There are 3 household waste recycling centres in Wirral at West Kirby, Clatterbridge and Bidston.

Household waste

This includes rubbish thrown in bins at home and collected by the local council. Also, litter collection and street sweepings, garden rubbish, rubbish from civic amenity sites and rubbish collected for recycling or composting from domestic properties.

Incineration

Controlled burning of rubbish to make it smaller, kill germs or to get rid of harmful chemicals.

Industrial waste

Rubbish from any buildings occupied by a factory or industry. For example a chocolate factory, a toy factory or a paint-making factory.

Inert Waste

Chemically inert, non-combustible, non-biodegradable and non-polluting waste defined in the EU Directive on the Landfill of Waste.

Kerbside collection

Any regular collection of rubbish for recycling from the kerbside of a property (also called recyclables). This may be from businesses or households.

Landfill site

Usually a large hole in the ground, such as an old quarry or mine. Can also be an area where rubbish is piled above ground and covered, creating a hill, which will be covered in grass, a process known as land raising.

MRF - Materials Recycling Facility

A recycling operation that sorts materials by type then cleans and compresses the recyclables before transferring them to reprocessors.

Post-consumer waste

Waste remaining after consumers use a product. Examples include bottles, food wrappers, newspaper, office paper and many other items.

Pre-consumer waste

Manufacturing waste that does not reach the consumer as a useful product. Also called process waste.

Producer responsibility

This is a type of law that makes the people who produce items e.g. manufacturers, responsible the disposal/recycling of the item when it is no longer of use. The packaging waste regulations are an example of producer responsibility law. Many supermarkets are now realising their responsibility and recycling plastic bags for example.

Putrescible

Liable to rot or decompose, the best example being food waste.

Recyclables

Materials that still have useful physical or chemical properties after serving their original purpose and that can, therefore, be reused or remanufactured into additional products.

Recycle

To divert useful materials from the disposal stream for processing, sale to an end user, and reintroduction into the economy as a remanufactured or new product.

Reduction

This involves using less materials so less rubbish is created. For example, many glass bottle makers now use less glass to make a bottle than they did 10 years ago. This means that less glass rubbish is created when we throw the bottles away.

Re-use

The act of using an item more than once. For example, many supermarkets now have carrier bags which you can use over and over again, and some businesses deliver goods in reusable plastic crates.

Sustainable Waste Management

Using material resources efficiently to cut down on the amount of waste produced. And, where waste is generated, dealing with it in a way that actively contributes to the economic, social and environmental goals of sustainable development.

Waste disposal authority

The part of your local authority that provides household waste recycling centres and places to bury or burn your rubbish. Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority cover the Wirral area – you can find out more about them at www.merseysidewda.gov.uk

Waste Transfer station

Facility at which solid waste trucks dump their loads in a pit. The garbage is then compacted and pushed into large tractor trailers for transportation to a landfill site or waste to energy plant.

Waste minimisation

The process of reducing the amount of waste that is disposed of whether by businesses or households.

White goods

Large enamelled electric appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners etc.).

WRAP

Waste Resources Action Programme.

Virgin Materials

Any basic materials for industrial processing that have not been previously used, such as petroleum for plastics manufacture, iron ore for steel manufacture, wood pulp for paper manufacture, or bauxite ore for aluminium manufacture.