Life cycle assessment and recycling key terms

limited raw materials

Natural resources that are finite and can be depleted, such as metals, glass, and certain plastics.

recycling

The process of converting waste materials into new products to reduce resource consumption and environmental impact.

quarrying

The process of extracting stone or other materials from a quarry, which can lead to environmental impacts.

mining

The extraction of minerals or other geological materials from the earth, often causing significant environmental effects.

reuse

In Ways of reducing the use of resources, reuse means using a product again for the same or a different purpose without significant alteration. This matters in Life cycle assessment and recycling because it supports the learning objective to describe glass bottle reuse as an example of reuse. Use reuse only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

glass bottle reuse

In Ways of reducing the use of resources, glass bottle reuse means the practice of using glass bottles multiple times before recycling or disposal. This matters in Life cycle assessment and recycling because it supports the learning objective to describe glass bottle reuse as an example of reuse. Use glass bottle reuse only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

glass recycling

In Ways of reducing the use of resources, glass recycling means the process of crushing and melting used glass to create new glass products. This matters in Life cycle assessment and recycling because it supports the learning objective to describe how glass can be crushed and melted to make new glass products. Use glass recycling only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

resource management

The practice of managing resources efficiently to reduce waste and environmental impact.

reuse

In Ways of reducing the use of resources, reuse means using a product again for the same or a different purpose without significant alteration. This matters in Life cycle assessment and recycling because it supports the learning objective to explain that some products cannot be reused and are recycled into different products. Use reuse only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

recycle

Processing used materials to create new products, often involving reprocessing and remanufacturing.

recycling

In Ways of reducing the use of resources, recycling means the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This matters in Life cycle assessment and recycling because it supports the learning objective to describe how metals can be recycled by melting and recasting or reforming. Use recycling only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

melting and recasting

A method of recycling metals where the metal is melted down and reshaped into new products.

separation in recycling

The process of dividing materials based on their properties to facilitate recycling.

material properties

Characteristics of a substance that determine how it can be processed or recycled.

scrap steel

Recycled steel that can be added to iron in a blast furnace to reduce the amount of iron extracted from ore.

blast furnace

A large industrial furnace used for smelting iron from its ore, where scrap steel can be added to reduce resource extraction.

limited resources

Natural materials that are finite and can be depleted through use, such as metals, fossil fuels, and certain minerals.

resource management

The strategic approach to using resources efficiently and sustainably to minimize waste and environmental impact.

reuse

The practice of using a product multiple times for the same or a different purpose without significant alteration.

recycling

The process of converting waste materials into new products to prevent waste and reduce resource consumption.