Five Levels

Level	Meaning	Example
Prevention	Do not create the waste at all	Order to requirement; redesign to use less material; reusable packaging
Preparing for reuse	Check, clean and repair for use again	Refurbish pallets, IBCs and equipment; repair rather than replace
Recycling	Reprocess into products or materials	Segregated metals, paper, plastics, aggregates
Other recovery	Extract value other than material	Energy from waste; anaerobic digestion; use as a fuel substitute
Disposal	Landfill or incineration without recovery	The last resort

Where effort actually goes

Almost all organisational effort concentrates on the third level — segregating better so more is recycled. Recycling is worthwhile, but it treats waste as inevitable and manages its destination. The two levels above it reduce the quantity that exists, which is where both the environmental benefit and the cost saving are largest, because avoided waste also avoids the purchase, handling and storage of the material.

Asking the right question

"How do we recycle this?" is the third question. The first two are "why does this exist?" and "could it be used again as it is?" A waste stream that has been reviewed only for its disposal route has not been reviewed.

The cheapest waste to manage is the material you never bought.