Glossary of Terms

A guide to help you understand the terms and lingo used at ORS/The Exchange.

Aluminum	Soda and beer cans only
Big Blue	Name for our glass crusher
Cardboard	Corrugated cardboard that Is flattened, clean and dry
Categories 1-7 Plastic	Industry standards dictate whether a plastic item is #1, #2, or other # up to 7. #1,#2 should go in co-mingled recycling; all else in trash
Co-mingled/Mixed Recyclables	Items that get recycled by an off-island agency at cost
Compost, Raw	Raw materials for composting (eg. what is put in home compost bucket)
Compost, Working	In the active process of composting (e.g. anaerobic & vermicomposting)
Compost, Curing	After the initial process for aerobic and anaerobic, but before its finished
Compost, Finished	Having completed the process and ready for use
Docent	Volunteer who works periodically at the Z-wall explaining correct recycling operations at ORS
The Exchange	The retail outlet of recycled goods on Orcas Island
GICU	Great Islands Clean-up sponsored by SJ County in the Spring & Fall
Glass Recycling	Bottles, jugs and window glass (not safety glass)
Glass Sand	Descriptive term used for the fineness of our ground glass
HHW	Household Hazardous Waste
MRF	Mixed Recycling Facility
MSW	Mixed Solid Waste, or Trash
OITS	Orcas Island Transfer Station
ORS	Orcas Recycling Services
Separated Recyclables	Items currently separated by customer before drop-off
Tipping Floor	Where bulk MSW is dropped off for loading into 40-foot trailers for transport off-island to the landfill at Roosevelt, WA