Glossary and abbreviations

Physical, thermal, chemical or biological processes, including sorting, that change the characteristics of the waste in order to reduce its volume or hazardous nature, facilitate its handling or enhance recovery (Council Directive 1999/31/EC of April 26, 1999):
- Biological treatment: Controlled process for the transformation by microorganisms, of fermentable waste into a slowly changing organic residue. For soil remediation, biological processes are also used, but they do not concern the area of waste.
- Thermal treatment: Waste treatment using the effect of heat, including in particular incineration.
- Physical-chemical treatment: this category of treatment includes among others, breaking down emulsions, neutralization, chrome removal, cyanide removal, dewatering, resin regeneration, chlorine removal, etc.