David in Portland, Oregon, wants a word for that moment of puzzlement when you’re trying to figure out which bin to use for tossing your recyclables. Discomposted, maybe? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “That Moment of...
phytocapping n.— «Landfill sites produce the greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide, as putrescible waste decays. Growing plants and trees on top of a landfill, a process known as “Phytocapping,” could reduce the...
ecoball n.— «Dangerous toxins are leaching into the soil—perhaps the water supply as well—from piles of rubbish which have littered the area for years. The waste is compacted into what are euphemistically called “ecoballs.”...
photodegrade v.—Gloss: (of plastics and polymers) to breakdown when exposed to sunlight. Note: A more technical definition of photodegradation is here. «Plastic bags don’t biodegrade. They only break down into tiny toxic little bits that...

