Types of Wastes

refers to any discarded or rejected material mainly from human activities and some

other processes.

• waste
• trash
• garbage
• junk

as their name implies, refer to wastes that are in solid form. Solid wastes are

further subdivided as either putrescible or non-putrescible.

• Solid wastes

• Organic or inorganic
• Liquid or gaseous
• Biodegradable or non-biodegradable

have organic matter capable of being naturally decomposed by

microorganisms, which can cause the formation of malodorous and toxic substances. These

include food wastes and animal and human waste in the form of excrements and cadavers.

• Recyclable waste
• Inorganic waste
• Non-biodegradable waste
• Biodegradable waste

unlike putrescible waste, do not decompose easily and may

either be combustible or incombustible. Since this type of waste does not break down

easily, it persists in the environment, often causing inconvenience and aesthetic problems.

The most common examples of this are plastic materials, bottled water containers, paper,

and glass.

• Biodegradable waste
• Nonbiodegradable wastes

• Decomposable waste
• Organic waste

are those that are in liquid form, freely flowing when transported or heated

to 60 °C, and are not capable of being picked up by a spade or shovel. Examples of these are

household and industrial wastewater and like human and animal excreta.

• Mud
• Goo
• Liquid wastes

• Slime

are liquid wastes coming from domestic residential areas. These

are products of our daily living coming from our various activities like food preparation,

washing of clothes, bathing, and toilet usage.

• Domestic wastewaters

• Domestic solid wastes are products of daily living activities.
• Industrial liquid wastes are products of daily living activities.
• Domestic liquid wastes are products of weekly living activities.

are products of

most domestic areas that pass through the piped water supply. These are also referred to

as sewage that can be described as the combination of all these types of liquid waste.

• Wastewater
• Drainage
• Toxic waste
• Blackwater and greywater

is the wastewater that flows out from a specific source. This wastewater often

requires treatment before it can be released to water bodies like lakes and rivers.

• Effluent

• Drinking water
• Rainwater
• Freshwater

have properties that pose a substantial threat to the

environment and to the health of the public.

• Toxic materials
• Dangerous chemicals
• Harmful elements
• Hazardous substances

as their name implies, require special or unique regulatory

requirements to lessen their potential of causing harm to humans and the

environment.

• Toxic materials
• Dangerous chemicals
• Unsafe elements
• Special substances