wastes
Uses up carelessly
Wastes is the plural of waste—materials discarded as useless or unwanted: industrial wastes, toxic wastes, human wastes.
The word also names desolate, barren regions: the frozen wastes of Antarctica, the desert wastes.
As a verb, wastes means squanders or uses carelessly: He wastes his talent, She wastes no time getting started.
Discarded waste material
- trashDiscarded worthless material
- rubbishWaste or nonsense
- litterScattered waste or debris
- debrisScattered broken fragments
junk · scraps · detritus · dregs · leavings · remnants · sweepings · clutter
Waste burial ground
- incinerationBurning waste to ash
- dumpWaste disposal site
- sewageLiquid refuse in drains
- sanitationCleanliness for public health
compost · wastewater · treatment · septic · compaction · shredding · baling · leachate
Matter left behind
- slagIndustrial metalworking byproduct
- drossMetalwork's floating refuse
- tailingsPost-extraction mineral waste
- scrapDiscarded bit or tussle
chaff · sawdust · shavings · offcuts · husks · pomace · lees · sediment
Introduction of impurities
- toxinsHarmful biological substances
- runoffExcess water drainage
- emissionsSubstances released into air
- leachateLiquid filtered through waste
heavy metals · carcinogens · dioxins · groundwater · seepage · bioaccumulation · mercury · lead
Improving discarded materials' value
- compostingDecomposing organic matter deliberately
- biodegradableAble to decompose naturally
- reuseEmploy something again
- repurposeAdapt for new use
reclamation · recovery · recyclables · sorting · diversion · circular economy · sustainability · redemption
Making something smaller
- minimizationMaking as small as possible
- streamliningMaking more aerodynamic or efficient
- preventionStopping something before occurring
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
garbage
Discarded waste material
debris · junk · scraps · detritus · dregs · leavings · remnants · sweepings · clutter · flotsam
landfill
Waste burial ground
- incinerationBurning waste to ash
- dumpWaste disposal site
- sewageLiquid refuse in drains
sanitation · compost · wastewater · treatment · septic · compaction · shredding · baling · leachate · hazmat
residue
Matter left behind
- slagIndustrial metalworking byproduct
- drossMetalwork's floating refuse
- tailingsPost-extraction mineral waste
scrap · chaff · sawdust · shavings · offcuts · husks · pomace · lees · sediment · silt
contamination
Introduction of impurities
leachate · heavy metals · carcinogens · dioxins · groundwater · seepage · bioaccumulation · mercury · lead · arsenic
upcycling
Improving discarded materials' value
- compostingDecomposing organic matter deliberately
- biodegradableAble to decompose naturally
- reuseEmploy something again
repurpose · reclamation · recovery · recyclables · sorting · diversion · circular economy · sustainability · redemption · bottle deposit
reduction
Making something smaller
- minimizationMaking as small as possible
- streamliningMaking more aerodynamic or efficient
- preventionStopping something before occurring
wastesconserves
Protects from depletion
saves · preserves · economizes · husbands · rations
wastesaccumulates
Gathers in increasing quantity
amasses · hoards · stockpiles · stores · gathers
wastesdevelopments
Events showing progress
settlements · farmlands · gardens · metropolises · oases
- waste of timeUnproductive expenditure of hours
- waste timeUse moments unproductively
- wasting timeUnproductive use of hours
- wasted timeHours spent unproductively
- go to wasteFail to be utilized
- waste awayDecline through neglect
waste, wasted, wasteful, wasting, waste time, wasteland, wastrel, wastefully, wastage