Water and Wastewater Terms Beginning O

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

organic waste

Waste material that may come from animal or plant sources. Natural organic wastes generally can be consumed by bacteria and other small organisms. Manufactured or synthetic organic wastes from metal finishing, chemical manufacturing, and petroleum industries may not normally be consumed by bacteria and other organisms. Also see inorganic waste and volatile solids.