what is rubbish?

Rubbish is everything that you throw away or no longer have a use for.

Rubbish is anything from an empty crisp packet to a broken toy.

Rubbish can be solid, liquid or gas.

Sometimes people use the word 'waste' when talking about rubbish.

People usually talk about three different sorts of rubbish:

• domestic - rubbish from households
• industrial and commercial - rubbish from factories, offices, shops and schools
• hazardous - rubbish which needs to be disposed of in a careful way to prevent pollution, for example, chemicals used to make paint

• biodegradable rubbish - breaks down naturally in the environment and eventually disappears. For example, left-over food and paper
• non-biodegradable rubbish - does not break down naturally in the environment. For example, drinks cans and plastic bottles

Certain laws make sure that rubbish is disposed of in a responsible way. For example, if chemicals find their way into rivers or streams they can cause harmful pollution, which may kill wildlife. If rubbish from dustbins is allowed to overflow then the streets become filled with litter.

Remember! What is rubbish to you may be very useful to somebody else. Your old toys or clothes that you have grown out of may be passed to a charity shop.
Q: Think of something you threw away recently that could have been reused.