Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal, managing and monitoring of  waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics. Waste management is a distinct practice from resource recovery which focuses on delaying the rate of consumption of natural resources. All waste materials, whether they are  solid, liquid,  gaseous or radioactive fall within the remit of waste management.