Waste Management is a management method encompassing processes such as reducing household, medical, hazardous, and non-hazardous waste, separating them at source, establishing intermediate storage, and establishing transfer centers when necessary. It also includes the transportation, recovery, and disposal of these wastes, the operation of relevant facilities, and post-closure maintenance and monitoring processes.

According to the Waste Hierarchy, the first priority is to prevent and reduce waste generation. The other stages of this hierarchy include recovery, recycling, and reuse methods. Waste falling outside the hierarchy is terminated through energy recovery and disposal.

Prevention/Reduction/Reuse: At this stage, necessary measures are taken to extend the lifespan of products or materials and ensure their reuse. This process protects natural resources, saves energy, reduces waste, and also results in financial savings.

Recycling: The transformation of waste into new products, materials, or substances that can be used for either their original or different purposes. However, some of the properties and functions of products and components may be lost during this process.

Recycling: Unlike recycling, the recycling process also involves generating energy from waste.

Energy Recovery: This is the process of generating heat, electricity, or fuel from non-recyclable waste through processes such as incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, or anaerobic treatment. Compliance with relevant regulations and measures is essential to minimize environmental impacts during these processes.

Disposal: This involves disposing of non-recyclable waste by sending it to a landfill.

The most important step for the effective implementation of these methods is the separate collection of waste at source.