Vocabulary
Compost
Compost is a mixture of rotting food scraps, garden cuttings, and other natural waste that breaks down to become rich soil for plants. For example, leftover vegetable peels and fruit cores can be put in a compost bin instead of the rubbish bin.
Landfill
Landfill is a place where rubbish that cannot be recycled or composted is buried in the ground. For example, if you throw away a broken toy in the general waste bin, it will likely end up in landfill.
Organic matter
Organic matter refers to waste that comes from living things, such as food scraps, leaves, or paper. For example, banana peels and apple cores are types of organic matter that can be composted.
Recycle
To recycle means to process used items so they can be made into new products, instead of going into landfill. For example, putting empty plastic bottles or paper in the recycling bin helps them get turned into new things instead of creating more waste.
Waste hierarchy
The waste hierarchy is a guide that shows the best ways to deal with waste, from most to least preferred. The top levels are 'reduce' (make less waste) and 'reuse' (use things again), followed by 'recycle,' with 'landfill' as the last resort. For example, using a reusable water bottle fits at the top of the waste hierarchy.