This method is based on the waste hierarchy, made up of five steps: reducing waste at the source, reuse of materials, recycling, energy recovery, and landfilling.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) includes all items from homes and businesses that people no longer have any use for. These wastes are commonly called trash or garbage and include items such as food, paper, plastics, textiles, leather, wood, glass, metals, sanitary waste in septic tanks, and other wastes.