Circular Economy
Waste Characterization
The systematic analysis of a waste stream's composition — the types and proportions of materials it contains — used to design waste management and diversion programmes.
Definition
Waste characterization is the process of sampling, sorting and quantifying the components of a waste stream by material category, such as paper, plastics, organics, glass and metals. The resulting composition data reveal what is being discarded, in what quantities, and what could feasibly be reused, recycled or composted.
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