Glossary

This glossary of terms was compiled from a wide range of sources and covers some of the most commonly used waste-related words and abbreviations.

Please select a letter from the A-Z index to find the definition of a term.

M

 

Materials Reclamation/Recovery Facility (MRF)
A plant where materials are sorted, separated, baled and sent on to be recycled. Also called a Waste Transfer Station .

Methane
Methane (or CH4) is a greenhouse gas that is released from the waste in landfill sites and contributes to climate change .

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
MSW includes all the solid waste that is collected by (or on behalf of) the local authority. This includes all solid waste from households and some of the waste produced by businesses.