The Waste Hierarchy

The Waste Hierarchy is a framework that prioritizes waste management strategies to reduce environmental impact. It ranks options from most to least favorable: 1. **Prevention**: Avoiding waste creation. 2. **Reuse**: Finding new uses for items without processing. 3. **Recycling**: Processing materials to make new products. 4. **Recovery**: Extracting energy or materials from waste. 5. **Disposal**: Landfilling or incinerating waste as a last resort. By following this hierarchy, we can lessen our burden on the planet, conserve resources, and minimize pollution.