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  1. Home
  2. Managing and Transforming Waste Streams – A Tool for Communities
  3. About the Tool

Managing and Transforming Waste Streams Tool: Terms and Definitions

Sectors

  • C&D Projects: Construction and Demolition projects, e.g., buildings, roads, land clearing, disaster recovery
  • Community: General public, cross-sector
  • Government: Local public agencies
  • ICI: Institutional, Commercial and Industrial (institutions refers to universities, faith-based organizations, non-profit agencies, etc.)
  • Residential: Single-family households or multi-family households/units

Material or Product Groups

  • C&D: Construction and Demolition materials or debris, e.g., asphalt, concrete, dimensional lumber, fiberboard, plywood, ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, asphalt shingles, cardboard, carpet
  • Diapers: Disposable diapers
  • Electronics: Electronic products nearing the end of their "useful life", e.g., computers, televisions, appliances, batteries, cell phones, etc.
  • Hard to Handle: Large, bulky reusable and/or recyclable items, e.g., mattresses, couches, carpets, large appliances
  • Hard to Recycle: Items that are recyclable but not generally accepted by most municipal recycling programs, e.g., electronics, furniture, appliances, certain plastics, bike tires and tubes, propane tanks, fire extinguishers
  • HHW: Household Hazardous Waste
  • Industrial Materials: e.g., coal combustion products, foundry sand, iron and steel slag, scrap tires
  • Motor Oil: A lubricant used in internal combustion engines
  • Organics: Food waste, yard waste, soiled paper, wood waste
  • Paper, Plastics, Glass, Metals: Traditional recyclable materials that include many kinds of paper, plastics, glass, and metals
  • Scrap Metal: Discarded metal suitable for reprocessing
  • Textiles: A type of cloth or woven fabric
  • Various: This term is used for measures that can encompass a wide variety of materials, including one or more material or product groups defined above.

Learn More

  • About the Tool
  • How It Works
  • Customizing the Tool
  • Terms and Definitions
  • Filter Descriptions and Qualitative Rankings
  • Map of Featured Cities and Counties

Managing and Transforming Waste Streams – A Tool for Communities

  • About the Tool
    • How It Works
    • Customize the Tool
    • Terms & Definitions
    • Filter Descriptions and Qualitative Rankings
    • Featured Cities and Counties
  • The Planning Tool
  • Featured Examples and Resources
    • Browse by Topic
    • Examples and Resources (#1-50)
    • Examples and Resources (#51-100)
  • Contract Language Case Studies
    • Austin, TX
    • Berkeley, CA
    • Boulder, CO
    • Fresno, CA
    • Napa, CA
    • Renton, WA
    • San Diego International Airport
    • San Diego International Airport (Detailed)
    • San Francisco, CA
    • San Francisco International Airport
    • San Jose, CA
    • Seattle, WA
  • Contracting Best Practices
    • Align Costs to Rates
    • Commercial Bins
    • Direct Materials to Markets
    • Disposal Payments
    • Education and Outreach
    • Incentives and Penalties
    • Increase Diversion
    • Innovations Clause
    • Market Organic Materials
    • Multi-Family Customers
    • Purchasing Preferences
    • Separate Compensation from Rates
    • Source Separation
  • Full Contracts and Agreements
  • Sample Contract and Franchise Agreement Clauses
  • Procurement Best Practices
    • Collaborative Negotiation vs. New Procurement
    • Local Government Billing or Lockbox
    • Mandatory Recycling and Composting
    • Minimum Zero Waste Standards
    • Process Integrity Guidelines
    • Publicly Owned Facilities
    • Separate Contracts
    • Separate Technical and Price Evaluation
    • Start Early
Contact Us About Managing and Transforming Waste Streams
Contact Us About Managing and Transforming Waste Streams to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on January 14, 2026
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