Delaware Reuse Guide

Definitions

Deconstruction:  A process whereby the valuable and useful components of buildings and houses are dismantled and salvaged for reuse prior to renovation and demolition work. This is generally a manual process.

Materials Exchange:  A network "service" that helps to redirect unwanted equipment, production overruns, rejects and other materials from businesses to non-profits, schools, community groups and others that need these materials. Material exchanges usually have a catalog or computer listing of materials wanted and materials available to help facilitate the exchange of materials. This term is often used synonymously with waste exchange.

Recycling:  A process of collecting discarded material, separating and processing that material, and then returning it to the economic mainstream in the form of raw materials or a new finished good.

Refurbishing:  The process of making "cosmetic" changes to update the appearance of a product, such as cleaning, changing fabric, painting or refinishing. Many computers can be updated with larger storage capacity, processing power and graphic output capabilities through refurbishment. Automobiles can be "detailed" to look and feel almost new again. Refurbishment in this Guide differs from remanufacturing in that none of the structural parts of the product are replaced.

Remanufacturing:  The process of restoring used durable products to "new" condition, to be used in their original function, by replacing worn or damaged component parts. As opposed to repair and refurbishment, this process is a commercial/industrial application of reuse principles that involves the recovery of surplus and used items which are then remanufactured into products that are sold on a retail basis. Often these products are generally sold as "used" or "reconditioned." Remanufacturing is common in the electronics industry with returned merchandise and in the automobile parts industry. It is also becoming common in clothing and textile operations and in surplus building materials operations. Remanufacturing differs from refurbishment in that structural parts of the product are replaced.

Reuse:  The use of a product or material again in its original form, for the same purpose, or another purpose, after reclaiming or refurbishing.Source Reduction:  The practice of reducing the amount of materials used through redesigning products, changing manufacturing processes, changing purchasing habits, and reusing materials, in order to minimize the quantity and/or toxicity of waste produced from a product. This term is often used synonymously with waste reduction.

Waste Exchange:  A network "service" functioning the same way as a materials exchange, redirecting industrial waste materials back into the manufacturing or reuse process by matching companies generating specific wastes with companies that use those wastes as manufacturing inputs. This term is often used synonymously with materials exchange.

Waste Reduction:  Reducing the amount or type of waste generated from a process. This term is often used synonymously with source reduction.

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