ABP View
Animal By-product
Glossary & Acronyms
The glossary and acronyms used across the UK waste management sector are listed here for reference.
Entries are grouped alphabetically. Each entry opens the full wording of the acronym and provides a link to a more detailed page on the subject, whether that relates to a waste type, facility type, or organisation.
Definitions are reviewed and expanded as datasets and guidance are updated. For formal interpretation, users should always refer to official regulatory documents or statutory guidance.
A
ABPO View
Animal By-product Order
ABPR View
Animal By-product Regulations
ABS (Plastic) View
ABS - Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (included in Other Plastics (7) a type of plastic often used in children's toys and car bumpers)
ACT View
Advanced Conversion Technology
AD View
Anaerobic Digestion
ADEPT View
Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport
AHVLA View
Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency - now part of the APHA
ALEO View
Arms Length External Organisation
APC View
Air Pollution Control
APHA View
Animal and Plant Health Agency
ASR View
Automotive Shredder Residue aka 'Frag'
ATF View
Authorised Treatment Facility wrt WEEE matrials
ATT View
Advanced Thermal Treatment
B
BAT View
Best Available Technique - the BAT reference document is known as the BREF
BEIS View
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy existed until 2023 when it was split to form the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Responsibility for national security and investment policy has gone to the Cabinet Office.
BIS View
The Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) now part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
BMT View
Biological-Mechanical Treatment (BMT) is a generic name for a range of processes
BMW View
Biodegradable Municipal Waste
BPEO View
Best Practicable Environmental Option
BREF View
BREF is the BAT reference document
C
C&D Waste View
Construction & Demolition Waste
C&I Waste View
Commercial & Industrial Waste
CA Site View
Civic Amenity Site aka HWRC
CCS View
Carbon Capture Storage
CCUS View
Carbon Capture Usage and Storage
CD&E Waste View
Construction, Demolition and Excavation waste see also C&D Waste
CDW View
Construction Demolition Waste. see also C&D Waste
CE View
Circular Economy
CEM View
Continuos Emissions Monitor
CEP View
Circular Economy Package
CFD View
Contract for Difference
CHP View
Combined Heat and Power
CHPQM View
Combined Heat and Power Qualifying Multiplier
CIWM View
Chartered Institution of Wastes Management
CLO View
Compost Like Output
CRC Site View
Community Recycling Centre Site. aka HWRC
CV View
Calorific Value
D
DAERA View
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
DBFO View
Design Build Finance Operate
DCLG View
Department for Communities and Local Government - now Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
DCO View
Development Consent Order
DECC View
Department of Energy & Climate Change became part of Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy in July 2016
DEFRA View
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DESNEZ View
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
DMO View
Deposit Management Organisation
DMR View
Dry Mixed Recyclables
DoC View
Duty of Care
DRS View
Deposit Return Scheme
E
EA View
Environment Agency
EfW View
Energy from Waste
EIA View
Environmental Impact Assessment
EIP View
Environmental Improvement Plans
ELT View
End of Life Tyres
ELV View
End of Life Vehicles
EMS View
Environmental Management System
EoW View
End of Waste
EPC View
Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contract
EPR View
Extended Producer Responsibility
EPR (Permitting) View
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales)
EQS View
Environmental Quality System
ERF View
Energy Recovery Facility
ERIC View
Estates Returns Information Collection - NHS data source
ESA View
Environmental Services Association
EWC View
European Waste Catalogue
F
FEED View
Front-End Engineering Design
FEL View
Front End Loader- type of collection vehicle/system
FIT View
Feed in Tariff
FPPs View
Fire Prevention Plans
FSA (Body) View
Food Standards Agency
FSA (contract) View
Fuel Supply Agreement
G
GCV View
Gross Calorific Value
GHNF View
Green Heat Network Fund
H
HDPE (Plastic) View
HDPE (2) - High Density Polyethylene
HMIP View
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Pollution - now part of Environment Agency
HMRC View
HM Revenue and Customs
HRC View
Household Waste Recycling Centre - aka HWRC
HSE View
Health and Safety Executive
HTI View
High Temperature Incineration
HWI View
Hazardous Waste Incincerator
HWRC View
Household Waste Recycling Centre
I
IBA View
Incinerator Bottom Ash
IBAA View
Incinerator Bottom Ash Aggregate
IED View
Industrial Emissions Directive
IPPC View
Integrated Pollution Prevention Control repleced by IED
ISO View
International Organization for Standardisation
IVC View
In-vessel Composting
K
KLS View
Kraft Lined Strawboard generally refers to cardboard boxes and is captured in Paper & Card in WikiWaste. Old KLS is also often referred to with regard to recycled cardboard boxes.
L
LACMW View
Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste
LACW View
Local Authority Collected Waste
LARAC View
Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee
LAS View
Landfill Allowance Scheme - now obsolete
LATCOs View
Local Authority Trading Company aka Teckal Companies and ALEOs
LATS View
Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme - now obsolete
LAWDC View
Local Authority Waste Disposal Company
LCA View
Life Cycle Assessment
LDPE (Plastic) View
LDPE (4) - Low Density Polyethylene
LfD View
Landfill Directive
LFT View
Landfill Tax
LGA View
Local Government Association
LOI View
Loss of Ignition
LoW View
List of Waste (England) Regulations 2005
M
MBM View
Meat and Bone Meal
MBT View
Mechanical Biological Treatment
MF View
Material Facility - a MRF 'captured' by the MRF Regulations (see here)
MHCLG View
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
MHT View
Mechanical Heat Treatment
MRF View
Material Recovery Facility
MSA View
Management Services Agreement
MSW View
Municipal Solid Waste
MWI View
Municipal Waste Incinerator
N
NAWDO View
National Association of Waste Disposal Officers
NCV View
Net Calorific Value
NEWS and PAMS View
Newspapers, Periodicals and Magazines - a grade of paper
NFFO View
Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation
NHM View
Non-Household Municipal Waste broadly synonymous with Commercial Waste and Business Waste
NIEA View
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
NRA View
National Rivers Authority - now part of the Environment Agency
NRW View
Natural Resources Wales
NSIPs View
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects
O
O&M View
Operation and Maintenance Contract
OAW View
Open Air Windrow Composting
OCC View
Old Corrugated Containers. This consist of used cardboard boxes and packaging with a ruffled or corrugated inner liner. They are captured in Paper & Card in WikiWaste
OEP View
Office for Environmental Protection
OHSMS View
Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
OWC View
Open Windrow Composting - aka OAW
P
pEPR View
Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility
PERF View
Plastics Recovery Facility aka PRF
PERN View
Packaging Waste Export Recovery Note
PET (Plastic) View
PET (1) - Polyethylene Terephthalate
PFI View
Private Finance Initiative
POPS View
Persistent Organic Pollutants - links to Bulky Waste and WUDS
PP (Plastic) View
PP (5) - Polypropylene
PPA View
Power Purchase Agreement
PPP View
Public Private Partnership
PRF View
Plastics Recovery Facility aka PERF
PRN View
Packaging Waste Recovery Note - the export version is the PERN
PRO View
Producer Responsibility Organisation
PS (Plastic) View
PS (6) - Polystyrene
PTT (Plastic) View
Pots Tubs and Trays
PVC (Plastic) View
PVC (3) - Polyvinyl Chloride
R
R1 View
Recovery code classification captured in the WFD - used for classifying incineration as 'energy recovery' rather than 'disposal'
RAM View
Recyclability Assessment Methodology
RCV View
Refuse Collection Vehicle
RDF View
Refuse Derived Fuel
REL View
Rear End Loader - type of collection vehicle/system
RGN View
Regulatory Guidance Note
RHI View
Renewable Heat Incentive
RLF View
Recycled Liquid Fuel aka main brand name of Cemfuel
RO View
Renewables Obligation
ROC View
Renewables Obligation Certificate
RoRo View
Roll on Roll off - type of collection vehicle/system
RQM View
Renewable Qualifying Multiplier
RTFO View
Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
RWS View
Resources and Waste Strategy
S
SAF View
Sustainable Aviation Fuel
SD View
Sustainable Development
SDGs View
Sustainable Development Goals
SEG View
Smart Export Guarantee
SEPA View
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
SNRHW View
Stabilised Non-Reactive Hazardous Waste
SOC View
Substance Orientated Classification - waste code classification which consolidates EWC codes
SRF View
Solid Recovered Fuel
T
TAD View
Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion
TFS View
Transfrontier Shipment Regulations
U
UBC View
Used Beverage Cans
UK ETS View
UK Emissions Trading Scheme
W
WAC View
Waste Acceptance Criteria
WAG View
Welsh Assembly Government
WAMITAB View
Waste Management Industry Training & Advisory Board - now part of CIWM
WCA View
Waste Collection Authorities
WDA View
Waste Disposal Authority
WDF View
Waste Derived Fuel
WECA View
West of England Combined Authority
WEEE View
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
WELEP View
West of England Local Enterprise Partnership now WECA
WEP View
West of England Partnership now part of WECA
WFD View
Waste Framework Directive
WI View
Historically the Waste Infrastructure Initiative - now the Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme
WID View
Waste Incineration Directive now replaced by the IED
WIDP View
Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme aka WI
WML View
Waste Management Licence for a facility - either transferred or in the process of transferring to an Environmental Permit
WPIF View
Wood Panel Industries Federation
WRA (body) View
Wood Recycling Association
WRA (regulator) View
Waste Regulation Authority now part of Environment Agency
WRAP View
Waste and Resources Action Programme
WTS View
Waste Transfer Station
WUDS View
Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating
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