zero-waste

adjective

ze·​ro-waste ˈzir-(ˌ)ō-wāst 

ˈzē-(ˌ)rō-ˈ

variants or zero waste

: generating little or no waste

a zero-waste event

zero-waste manufacturing

zero waste noun

The creative waste management strategy of "zero waste" is a combination of community and industrial responsibility that includes deconstruction in spite of demolition, composting to keep odorous organic waste out of landfills, recycling, and a screening facility to allow more separation and reuse of waste rather than incineration.

—Aimee Dolloff

Examples of zero-waste in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adidas, the athletic wear company, is an example of a company that is using more recycled materials, including plastic waste recovered from beaches and biodegradable materials, in its efforts to produce zero-waste running shoes. —Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Governments need to put into place policies, regulations, and subsidies to promote sustainability and zero-waste practices to encourage businesses to enact positive practices, Guterres said. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2025

This restaurant chain uses a wine-on-tap system—where each reusable keg replaces 26 bottles and can be reused up to 1,500 times—for a zero-waste, from-the-barrel wine experience. —Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

But don't tell that to the businesses that are moving forward with their own initiatives, from sustainable architecture to ambitious zero-waste projects, to socially conscious tours. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for zero-waste

• aftertaste
• interfaced
• interlaced
• abased
• barefaced
• debased
• defaced
• disgraced
• displaced
• distaste
• effaced
• embraced