Waste hierarchy
An approach that generally prioritises prevention, followed by reuse, recycling, other recovery and disposal.
Example
Avoiding wasted food can prevent burdens across production and treatment.
The catch
A hierarchy guides choices; local evidence still informs a specific decision.
Related terms
Anaerobic decomposition, Anaerobic digestion, Biogas, Biomethane, Composting, Destruction efficiency
In more depth
Waste hierarchy, explained.
The waste hierarchy is law in the EU, set out in the Waste Framework Directive, and Member States may depart from it only where life-cycle thinking shows a better overall outcome for a specific waste stream. For food, the order runs from preventing waste, through redistributing surplus to people and then to animals, to digestion or compost, with landfill last.
Organic waste diversion moves material up that ladder and away from the conditions that create landfill methane. Misreadings are common. Energy recovery from incineration sits below recycling, and calling it recycling misstates its rank. Capturing gas from waste already buried remains worthwhile even though landfill is the least preferred route for new waste.