Basura

Waste classification

Waste products differ according to their type and source: household, industry, hospitals, agriculture etc.

Household waste

Household and consumer waste is wasteproduced by households, shopkeepers and trades people. However, it also includes waste from companies and industries when it is not harmful or polluting, such as paper, cardboard, wood, glass, textiles,packaging, etc.

This waste is collected by municipal authorities whenever its elimination presents no special technical constraints and is harmless to people and the environment.

The breakdown ofwaste also varies from one country to another, although no strict correlation can be made with the level of wealth. Nevertheless, it can be noted that the proportion of organic material (food, gardenwaste, etc.) is higher in poorer countries, whereas developed countries show significant proportions of newspaper and packaging in the volumes of waste produced.

Non-hazardous industrial wasteNon-hazardous or ordinary industrial waste is generated by an industrial or commercial activity, but is similar by its nature and composition to household waste. It is not toxic, presents no hazardand thus requires no special treatment.
In particular, it includes ordinary waste produced by companies, shopkeepers and trades people (paper, cardboard, wood, textiles, packaging, etc.).
Due toits non-hazardous nature, this waste is often sorted and treated in the same facilities as household waste.
It should be distinguished from hazardous industrial waste, which, due to its properties,needs special precautions during its storage, collection, transport and treatment.
Special waste
Special waste is household or industrial waste which is hazardous to man and the environment. It maybe toxic and special precautions must be taken in treating it.
Hazardous waste in particular includes products that are explosive, flammable, irritant, harmful, toxic, carcinogenic, corrosive,...