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UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
DISASTER WASTE MANAGEMENT GUIDElINES
Annex X. Terminology
These guidelines follow ISWA’s 1000 terms in solid waste
management as far as possible. However, some terms have
been modified as there are differences between ‘normal’ solid
waste management and disaster waste management. Additional
disaster waste terminology has been introduced that is not in
ISWA’s 1000 terms. The following overarching terms have been
used in these guidelines.
Clinical waste – see healthcare waste. These guidelines follow
the World Health Organization (WHO) terminology.
Compost is a rich, fertile soil enhancement material produced
from food and garden waste which has undergone a composting
process, typically microbial degradation in presence of oxygen
and at temperatures between 35°c and 70°c.
Conflict relates to armed hostilities between two or more factions
which lead to damage to both the built environment as well as
facilities, systems and organizational set-ups.
Debris is a mixture of building waste and rubble typically arising
from damaged buildings and their demolition. This waste stream
can include natural materials such as clay and mud, trees,
branches, bushes, etc.
Disaster waste is the waste that is generated by the impact of
a disaster, both as a direct effect of the disaster as well as in the
post-disaster phase as a result of poor waste management.
Disaster waste management is the sorting, collection, handling,
transportation and treatment (recovery as well as disposal) of
disaster waste.
Disaster waste management planning is the process by
which a plan for the management of the disaster waste is
developed, through the different phases of relief and recovery.
The process consists of: determining the appropriate response
and recovery strategies to be implemented after a disaster
(based on assessments of vulnerability); identifying and agreeing
responsibility for the implementation of strategies; preparing
the management structure required to implement the plan with
resource requirements, and gaining the approval for the disaster
waste management plan developed.
Disposal site – dee dumpsite, engineered dumpsite, landfill and
temporary disposal site.
Dumpsite is an uncontrolled disposal site for waste, where
gas emissions, liquid leakage and solids contamination of the
surrounding environment is not controlled or managed. See also
Engineered Dumpsite.
Environment is defined by the Sphere Standards as “‘the
physical, chemical and biological surroundings in which disaster-
affected and local communities live and develop their livelihoods.
It provides the natural resources that sustain individuals, and
determines the quality of the surroundings in which they live.”
Emergencies are situations that arise out of disasters in which
the affected community’s ability to cope has been overwhelmed,
and where rapid and effective action is required to prevent further
loss of life and livelihood.
Engineered dumpsite is a dumpsite where there is a degree of
technical control such as fencing of the site with a gate to control
what wastes are disposed of, one or several bulldozers or tractors
are employed to move and compact the waste, ditches for leachate
collection have been dug and where special arrangements in
place for the disposal of infectious and/or hazardous waste. See
also Landfill.
Hazardous waste is waste that has physical, chemical, or
biological characteristics such that it requires special handling
and disposal procedures to avoid risk to health, adverse
environmental effects or both. “Hazardous” relates to the situation
and circumstances as well as the properties of waste materials.
Typical characteristics include: oxidizing, explosive, flammable,
irritant, corrosive, toxic, ecotoxic, carcinogenic, infectious, toxic for
reproduction and/or mutagenic. It is noted that toxic wastes may
produce toxic gases when in contact with water, air or acid which
can subsequently produce hazardous substances after disposal.
Healthcare waste is a term often used for clinical waste or
hospital waste. The World Health Organization (WHO) uses 10
categories of healthcare waste. The risk part of healthcare waste
is normally a minor part of this waste stream. The other parts
of healthcare waste (e.g. food waste and packaging waste from
wards and staff, ashes and rubble etc) can, if properly segregated,
be managed similar to ordinary household waste.
Healthcare risk waste is the hazardous part of healthcare waste
and contains infectious agents, sharp objects, hazardous chemi-
cals or pharmaceuticals, genotoxic or radioactive substances
and anatomical waste. This waste needs special attention and
treatment.
Hospital waste is waste from hospitals and similar establishments,
see Healthcare waste above. An Incinerator is a device wherein
waste can be burned under controlled circumstances in terms
of temperature, turbulence, retention time and oxygen supply.
Incinerators are commonly used for destruction of infectious
waste and, with advanced flue gas treatment, hazardous waste.
Landfill is a controlled disposal site for waste, where all emissions
of gases, liquids and solid materials are controlled and not allowed
to contaminate the surrounding environment.
Packaging waste is packaging materials such as cardboard,
corrugated cardboard, glass, tins, plastic bags and other soft
plastics, plastic bottles and other harder plastics. Most types
of packaging waste, with a few exceptions, are attractive to the
recycling market.
Resilience is a community’s ability to withstand the damage
caused by emergencies and disasters; it is a function of the various
factors that allow a community to recover from emergencies.
Rubble is waste from damaged and destroyed buildings and
infrastructure, and can include wastes from (re)construction
works.
Temporary disposal site is a place where disaster waste is safely
placed, stored and processed for a pre-defined period after a
disaster. The site would be selected following a rapid environmental
assessment, and the emissions should be minimized in relation to
appropriate and available technology.
Vulnerability is the degree to which a population or an individual
is unable to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the
impacts of disaster.