Glossary topic · 15 terms
Waste & capture.
What happens to rubbish after the bin, and how landfill gas gets collected, destroyed or used.
Anaerobic decomposition
Breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen.
Waste & captureAnaerobic digestion
A managed biological process that breaks down organic material without oxygen.
Waste & captureBiogas
A gas mixture created through biological breakdown of organic matter, usually rich in methane and CO₂.
Waste & captureBiomethane
Methane-rich gas made by upgrading biogas to remove CO₂ and other unwanted components.
Waste & captureComposting
Managed decomposition of organic material in the presence of oxygen.
Waste & captureDestruction efficiency
The proportion of a target substance destroyed by treatment.
Waste & captureGas collection efficiency
The proportion of generated gas successfully captured by a collection system.
Waste & captureGas composition
The proportions of substances present in a gas mixture.
Waste & captureGas flow rate
The volume or mass of gas passing a point per unit of time.
Waste & captureLandfill cover
Material placed over waste to manage exposure, water infiltration and gas movement.
Waste & captureLandfill gas
A mixture of gases produced as organic material decomposes in a landfill.
Waste & captureMethane-to-energy
The use of captured methane-rich gas as fuel for electricity, heat or vehicles, or its upgrading to pipeline-quality gas.
Waste & captureOperating uptime
The period a system operates as intended, expressed as time or a share of a reporting period.
Waste & captureOrganic waste diversion
Keeping biodegradable material out of disposal routes such as landfilling.
Waste & captureWaste hierarchy
An approach that generally prioritises prevention, followed by reuse, recycling, other recovery and disposal.