There are different types of criteria to classify waste. First, depending on its composition there is organic and non-organic waste. Organic waste are any waste of biological origin, it comes from a once-alive organism such as: leaves, peels, paper, wood, etc. Non-organic waste on the contrary, is non-biological in origin as the following: plastic, metals, glass, and rock.
Second, depending on where or how the waste is created we can classify them as:

Residential Waste: waste generated in homes or communities. Generally speaking, they are solid and are usually called Residential Solid Waste.

Industrial Waste: generated from manufacturing processes or in the process of transforming primary materials. When solid, they are called Industrial Solid Waste (ISW). If they are liquid, then we call them Industrial Liquid Waste.

Medical Waste: is the by-product of hospital and clinics and are items such as: needles, gauzes, fabrics, etc. They are considered hazardous waste independent from its organic or non-organic origin.

Urban Waste: originated in urban areas, they could be residential, industrial, commercial, or from services. Created in the process of cleaning and urban maintenance such as tree trimming, construction site debris, etc.

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