In the natural world there is no such thing as waste, decomposers break down all organic matter and the nutrients are recycled so completing a natural cycle. Waste is defined as anything that is no longer required by the user or the producer. The waste may still be of use to someone else, but if you no longer require it, the law says it is waste. Waste is hard to measure. In one survey, generally called the Leicester Initiative, 10 companies perceived costs of waste as £500,000. However a more accurate estimate based on mass balance came out at nearly 13 million - over 25 X the original amount for possible savings. | |