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Terms & Acronyms

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Term	Vocabulary	Vocabulary Type	Definitions
Backyard Composting	Measuring Recycling Guidance Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: refers to the diversion of food scraps and yard trimmings from the municipal waste stream through the onsite controlled decomposition of organic matter by micro-organisms (mainly bacteria and fungi) into a humus-like product. Backyard composting is excluded from recycling activities. Rather, it is considered source reduction because the composted materials never enter the municipal solid waste stream. (U.S. EPA, 1991a)
Backyard Composting	Terms of Environment	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Diversion of organic food waste and yard trimmings from the municipal waste stream by composting hem in one's yard through controlled decomposition of organic matter by bacteria and fungi into a humus-like product. It is considered source reduction, not recycling, because the composted materials never enter the municipal waste stream.
compost	Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Decomposed organic material that is produced when bacteria in soil break down garbage and biodegradable trash, making organic fertilizer. Making compost requires turning and mixing and exposing the materials to air. Gardeners and farmers use compost for soil enrichment.
Compost	Terms of Environment	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A humus or soil-like material created from aerobic, microbial decomposition of organic materials such as food scraps, yard trimmings, and manure.
Compost	Pest Patrol Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A mixture of organic leftovers that may include rotted plant materials, manure, and eggshells. Added to your garden, it nourishes the soil and plants.
Compost	Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Partially decomposed organic plant and animal matter that can be used as a soil conditioner or fertilizer.
Compost	State and Local Climate and Energy Program Glossary of Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. Mature compost is a stable material with a content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a soil-like, earthy smell. It is created by: combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process.
Composting	Web Taxonomy-Pollution Prevention Topics	Taxonomy	Definition: The controlled biological decomposition of organic material in the presence of air to form a humus- like material. Controlled methods of composting include mechanical mixing and aerating, ventilating the materials by dropping them through a vertical series of aerated chambers, or placing the compost in piles out in the open air and mixing it or turning it periodically. [Terms of Env]
Composting	Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Definitions and Acronyms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A waste management strategy in which aerobic microbial decomposition transforms biogenic material such as food scraps and yard trimmings into a stable, humus-like material (compost).
Composting	Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Partial breakdown of organic plant and animal matter by aerobic bacteria to produce a material that can be used as a soil conditioner or fertilizer. See compost.
Composting	Terms of Environment	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The controlled biological decomposition of organic material in the presence of air to form a humus-like material. Controlled methods of composting include mechanical mixing and aerating, ventilating the materials by dropping them through a vertical series of aerated chambers, or placing the compost in piles out in the open air and mixing it or turning it periodically.
Composting	Superfund for Students and Teachers Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The decomposition of yard waste and vegetable scraps into organic material.
Composting	AgSTAR Handbook Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The biological decomposition and stabilization of organic matter under conditions which allow the development of elevated temperatures as the result of biologically produced heat. When complete, the final product is sufficiently stable for storage and application to land without adverse environmental effects.
Composting	Top Green Home Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A controlled biological decomposition of organic wastes (i.e. certain kitchen wastes, yard trimmings) into a stable product that can be used as a natural soil amendment.
Composting	Consumer Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste: Reusable Vocabulary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The controlled microbial decomposition of organic matter (such as food scraps and yard trimmings) in the presence of oxygen into a humus- or soil-like material.
Composting	RCRA Glossary of Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: The controlled biological decomposition of organic material in the presence of air to form a humus-like material. Controlled methods of composting include mechanical mixing and aerating, ventilating the materials by dropping them through a vertical series of aerated chambers, or placing the compost in piles out in the open air and mixing it or turning it periodically.
Composting	State and Local Climate and Energy Program Glossary of Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Composting produces a useful product from organic waste that otherwise would have been landfilled. Since these materials are not landfilled, composting helps prevent methane and leachate formulation in the landfills.
Composting	RCRA Orientation Manual 2008 Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Processes designed to optimize the natural decomposition or decay of organic matter, such as leaves and food. The end product of composting is a humus-like material that can be added to soils to increase soil fertility, aeration, and nutrient retention.
Composting	Drinking Water Technical & Legal Terms	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A controlled microbial degradation of organic waste yield an environmentally sound, nuisance-free product of potential value as a soil conditioner.
Composting Facilities	Terms of Environment	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition 1: An offsite facility where the organic component of municipal solid waste is decomposed under controlled conditions. Definition 2: An aerobic process in which organic materials are ground or shredded and then decomposed to humus in windrow piles or in mechanical digesters, drums, or similar enclosures.
Composting Facilities	Measuring Recycling Guidance Glossary	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: Refers to an offsite facility where the organic component of municipal solid scraps is biologically decomposed under controlled conditions; an aerobic process in which organic materials are ground or shredded and then decomposed to humus in windrow piles or in mechanical digesters, drums, or similar enclosures. (U.S. EPA, 1991a,1994a)
Composting Pad	Ag 101 Glossary of American Agriculture	Glossary and Key Word List	Definition: A concrete or hard packed surface that provides an area on which manure and discarded feed may be composted with ready access to aerate the composting materials.
Compost	EPA EV-Environmental Events-Waste	Taxonomy	Definition 1: A thermophilic converted product with high humus content. Compost can be used as a soil amendment and can also be used to prevent or remediate pollutants in soil, air, and storm water run-off. [40 CFR 247.3 (CFR 2013)] Definition 2: Organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. Mature compost is a stable material with a content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a soil-like, earthy smell. It is created by: combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process. [State and Local Climate and Energy Glossary]
Composting	EPA EV-Biological Substances-Humans-Human Activities & Behaviors	Taxonomy	Definition 1: The controlled biological decomposition of organic material in the presence of air to form a humus-like material. Controlled methods of composting include mechanical mixing and aerating, ventilating the materials by dropping them through a vertical series of aerated chambers, or placing the compost in piles out in the open air and mixing it or turning it periodically. [Terms of Environment] Definition 2: A waste management strategy in which aerobic microbial decomposition transforms biogenic material such as food scraps and yard trimmings into a stable, humus-like material (compost). [Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Definitions and Acronyms] Definition 3: Composting produces a useful product from organic waste that otherwise would have been landfilled. Since these materials are not landfilled, composting helps prevent methane and leachate formulation in the landfills. [State and Local Climate and Energy Glossary]
Composting Facility	EPA EV-Built Environments-Waste Systems	Taxonomy	Definition: Offsite facility where the organic component of municipal solid scraps is biologically decomposed under controlled conditions; an aerobic process in which organic materials are ground or shredded and then decomposed to humus in windrow piles or in mechanical digesters, drums, or similar enclosures. (U.S. EPA, 1991a,1994a) [Recycling – State and Local Glossary]
Composting Pad	EPA EV-Built Environments-Waste Systems	Taxonomy	Definition: A concrete or hard packed surface that provides an area on which manure and discarded feed may be composted with ready access to aerate the composting materials. [Ag 101 Glossary of American Agriculture]
Manure Composting	EPA EV-Biological Substances-Humans-Human Activities & Behaviors	Taxonomy	Definition: Biological oxidation of a solid waste including manure usually with bedding or another organic carbon source typically at thermophilic temperatures produced by microbial heat production. There are four types of composting employed for manure management: Static, in vessel, intensive windrow and passive windrow. Static composting typically occurs in an enclosed channel, with forced aeration and continuous mixing. In vessel composting occurs in piles with forced aeration but no mixing. Intensive windrow composting occurs in windrows with regular turning for mixing and aeration. Passive windrow composting occurs in windrows with infrequent turning for mixing and aeration. [40 CFR 98.6 (CFR 2013)]

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