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History & Overview
Types of Garbage
Waste Composition Studies: Waste Categories
Waste categories have become more detailed over time since the first study in 1988. However, changes have been made carefully so that comparison to previous years is possible. In the 1998/99 study, waste samples were sorted by hand into 86 component categories. Medical wastes were excluded from sorting, and virtually everything else was weighed and recorded. A list of component categories and definitions follows.
Paper
- • NEWSPAPER: Printed newsprint. (Advertising "slicks" (glossy paper) were included in this category if found mixed with newspaper; otherwise, ad slicks are included with mixed low grade paper.)
- • PLAIN OCC/KRAFT PAPER: Unwaxed/uncoated old corrugated container boxes and Kraft paper, and brown paper bags.
- • WAXED OCC/KRAFT PAPER: Waxed/coated old corrugated container boxes and Kraft paper, and brown paper bags.
- • OFFICE PAPER: White or lightly colored sulfite/sulfate bond, copy papers, and envelopes.
- • COMPUTER PAPER: Continuous-feed sulfite/sulfate/ground wood computer printouts and forms of all types, excluding carbonless paper.
- • MIXED LOW GRADE: Low-grade, potentially recyclable papers, including junk mail, magazines, colored papers, bleached Kraft, boxboard, mailing tubes, and paperback books.
- • PHONE BOOKS: Telephone directories.
- • MILK/JUICE POLYCOAT: Bleached polycoated milk, ice cream, and aseptic juice containers.
- • FROZEN FOOD POLYCOATS: Bleached and unbleached polycoated frozen/refrigerator packaging, excluding polycoated milk/ice cream/aseptic containers.
- • COMPOSTABLE/SOILED PAPER: Paper towels, paper plates, waxed paper and tissues.
- • PAPER/OTHER MATERIALS: Predominantly paper with other materials attached, e.g., orange juice cans, spiral notebooks.
- • OTHER PAPERS: Carbon/carbonless copy paper, hardcover books, photographs.
Plastic
- • PET POP & LIQUOR: Polyethylene terephthalate translucent 2-liter and 16-ounce pop bottles, with base; PET liquor bottles, beverage bottles.
- • OTHER PET BOTTLES: All other PET bottles not included in above.
- • HDPE MILK & JUICE: High-density translucent polyethylene milk, juice, and beverage containers.
- • OTHER HDPE BOTTLES: All other HDPE bottles not included in above.
- • OTHER PLASTIC BOTTLES: Plastic bottles not otherwise classified in the defined PET or HDPE categories, includes #3-#7, unknown bottles, petroleum bottles, and other dark colored bottles.
- • JARS & TUBS. Wide mouth jars and tubs #1-#7 such as yogurt, cottage cheese, margarine.
- • EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE: Includes packaging and finished products made of expanded polystyrene.
- • OTHER RIGID PACKAGING: Rigid plastic packaging #1-#7 and unknown (excluding expanded polystyrene). Includes clamshells, salad trays, lids, cookie tray inserts, plastic spools, toothpaste tubes.
- • GROCERY/BREAD BAGS: Bread, grocery, and dry cleaner plastic film bags.
- • GARBAGE BAGS: Plastic garbage bags.
- • OTHER FILM: Includes film packaging, excluding grocery/bread and garbage bags. Also includes plastic sheeting and shower curtains
- • PLASTIC PRODUCTS: Finished plastic products such as toys, toothbrushes, vinyl hose and photographic negatives. Includes fiberglass resin products and materials.
- • PLASTIC/OTHER MATERIALS: Predominately plastic with other materials attached such as disposable razors, pens, lighters, toys, 3-ring binders.
Glass
- • CLEAR BEVERAGE: Includes clear pop, liquor, wine, juice, beer, vinegar bottles.
- • GREEN BEVERAGE: Includes green pop, liquor, wine, beer, lemon juice bottles.
- • BROWN BEVERAGE: Includes brown pop, beer, liquor, juice, vanilla extract bottles.
- • CONTAINER GLASS: All glass containers, all colors, holding solid materials such as mayonnaise, non-dairy creamer, facial cream containers.
- • FLUORESCENT TUBES. Fluorescent light tubes.
- • OTHER GLASS: Window glass, light bulbs (except fluorescent tubes) , glassware, etc.
Metal
- • ALUMINUM CANS: Aluminum beverage cans (UBC) and bi-metal cans made mostly of aluminum.
- • ALUMINUM FOIL/CONTAINERS: Aluminum food containers, trays, and foil.
- • OTHER ALUMINUM: Aluminum products and scrap such as window frames, cookware.
- • OTHER NONFERROUS: Metals not derived from iron, to which a magnet will not adhere, which are not significantly contaminated with other metals or materials.
- • TIN FOOD CANS: Tinned steel food containers, including bi-metal cans mostly of steel.
- • EMPTY AEROSOL CANS: Empty, mixed material/metal aerosol cans. (Aerosols that still contain product are sorted according to that material—for instance, solvent-based paint.)
- • OTHER FERROUS: Ferrous and alloyed ferrous scrap metals to which a magnet adheres and which are not significantly contaminated with other metals or materials.
- • MIXED METALS/MATERIALS: Motors, insulated wire, and finished products containing a mixture of metals, or metals and other materials, whose weight is derived significantly from the metal portion of its construction. White goods are banned from Seattle’s disposal. However, segments of large appliances are occasionally found; they are included in this category.
- • OIL FILTERS. Metal oil filters used in cars and other automobiles.
Organics
- • PALLETS: Wood pallets.
- • CRATES: Crates, and other packaging lumber/panelboard.
- • LEAVES AND GRASS: Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds.
- • PRUNINGS: Cut prunings, 6" or less in diameter, from bushes, shrubs, and trees.
- • FOOD: Food wastes and scraps, including bone, rinds, etc. Excludes the weight of food containers, except when container weight is not appreciable compared to the food inside.
Other materials
- • TEXTILES: Fabric materials including natural and synthetic textiles such as cotton, wool, silk, woven nylon, rayon, polyester, and other materials.
- • CARPET/UPHOLSTERY: General category of flooring applications consisting of various natural or synthetic fibers bonded to some type of backing material.
- • LEATHER: Finished products or scraps of leather.
- • DISPOSABLE DIAPERS: Disposable baby diapers and adult protective undergarments.
- • ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS: Animal carcasses, wastes, and kitty litter.
- • RUBBER PRODUCTS: Finished products and scrap materials made of rubber, such as bath mats, inner tubes, rubber hose, and foam rubber.
- • TIRES: Vehicle tires of all types.
- • ASH: Fireplace, burn barrel, or fire pit ash.
- • FURNITURE: Mixed-material furniture such as upholstered chairs.
- • MATTRESSES: Mattresses and box springs.
- • SMALL APPLIANCES: Small electric appliances such as toasters, microwave ovens, power tools, curling irons, and light fixtures.
- • AUDIO/VISUAL EQUIPMENT: Televisions, stereos, radios, VCRs, monitors, printers, etc.
- • CERAMICS/PORCELAIN: Finished ceramic or porcelain products such as dishware, toilets, etc.
- • NONDISTINCT FINES: Nondistinct organics.
- • MISCELLANEOUS ORGANICS: Wax, modeling clay, bar soap, cigarette butts, etc.
- • MISCELLANEOUS INORGANICS: Vacuum cleaner bags, other inorganics not classified elsewhere.
CDL Wastes
- • DIMENSION LUMBER: Milled lumber.
- • OTHER UNTREATED WOOD: Compostable prunings or stumps 6" or greater in diameter.
- • TREATED WOOD: Lumber and wood products which have been painted or treated so as to render them difficult to compost.
- • CONTAMINATED WOOD: Lumber and wood products, often with adhering concrete or other contaminants that would not compost easily.
- • NEW GYPSUM SCRAP: New gypsum wallboard scrap.
- • DEMO GYPSUM SCRAP: Used or demolition gypsum wallboard scrap.
- • FIBERGLASS INSULATION: Fiberglass building and mechanical insulation, batt or rigid.
- • ROCK/CONCRETE/BRICKS: Includes rock gravel larger than 2" diameter, Portland cement mixtures (set or unset), and fired-clay bricks.
- • ASPHALTIC ROOFING: Asphalt shingles, tar paper of built-up roofing.
- • OTHER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS: Construction debris, other than wood, which can not be classified into other component categories; mixed fine building material scraps.
- • SAND/SOIL/DIRT: Contains mixed fines smaller than 2" in diameter.
Household Hazardous Waste
- • LATEX PAINTS: Water-based paints and similar products.
- • HAZARDOUS ADHESIVES/GLUES: Oil/resin/volatile solvent-based glues and adhesives, including epoxy, rubber cement, two-part glues and sealers, and auto body fillers.
- • NON-HAZARDOUS ADHESIVES/GLUES: Water-based glues, caulking compounds, grouts, and spackle.
- • OIL-BASED PAINT/SOLVENT: Solvent-based paints, varnishes, and similar products. Various solvents, including chlorinated and flammable solvents, paint strippers, solvents contaminated with other products such as paints, degreasers and some other cleaners if the primary ingredient is (or was) a solvent, or alcohol such as methanol and isopropanol.
- • HAZARDOUS CLEANERS: Various acids and bases whose primary purpose is to clean surfaces, unclog drains, or perform other actions.
- • PESTICIDES/HERBICIDES: Variety of poisons whose purpose is to discourage or kill pests, weeds, or microorganisms. Fungicides and wood preservatives, such as pentachlorophenol, are also included.
- • DRY-CELL BATTERIES: Dry-cell batteries of various sizes and types, as commonly used in households.
- • WET-CELL BATTERIES: Wet-cell batteries of various sizes and types, as commonly used in automobiles.
- • GASOLINE/KEROSENE: Gasoline, diesel fuel, and fuel oils.
- • MOTOR OIL/DIESEL OIL: Lubricating oils, primarily used in vehicles but including other types with similar characteristics.
- • ASBESTOS: Asbestos and asbestos-containing wastes (if this is the primary hazard associated with these wastes).
- • EXPLOSIVES: Gunpowder, unspent ammunition, picric acid and other potentially explosive chemicals.
- • OTHER HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS: Other hazardous wastes that do not fit into the above categories, including unidentifiable materials and medical waste such as I.V. tubing and patient drapes. (Medical wastes that could be considered a bio-hazard were excluded from the sorts.)
- • OTHER NON-HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS: Non-hazardous soaps, cleaners, medicines, cosmetics
Related links
Solid Waste Facts and Figures
Waste Composition Reports
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