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Meaning & use

open dump

noun·Advancedtechnical

Last updated

UK/ˌəʊpən ˈdʌmp/
US/ˌoʊpən ˈdʌmp/

Meanings

  1. nouncountabletechnical

    A place where waste is thrown and left in the open, without being buried or properly managed.

    Grammar: Countable: 'an open dump,' 'open dumps.' Often used in the plural when discussing the problem generally.

    Patterns

    • an open dump site
    • waste in an open dump
    • close an open dump

    The city closed the open dump because it was attracting rats.

    Many villages still use an open dump for their household waste.

    The environmental report criticized the open dump near the river.

  2. noununcountabletechnical

    The practice or system of disposing of waste in such a place.

    Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the method: 'open dump' as a practice.

    Patterns

    • use open dump
    • practice of open dump
    • open dump versus sanitary landfill

    Open dump is still common in some developing countries.

    The government is trying to replace open dump with modern recycling.

    Open dump causes serious soil and water pollution.

Word forms

pluralopen dumps

Common combinations

open dump site
The open dump site was fenced off to keep people away.
illegal open dump
Authorities fined the company for operating an illegal open dump.
close an open dump
The council decided to close the open dump and build a sanitary landfill.
open dump in a city
The open dump in the city center was a health hazard.
open dump waste
Open dump waste often includes hazardous materials.

Synonyms and how they differ

landfill
A properly managed site where waste is buried; an open dump is uncontrolled and uncovered.
rubbish tip
British, informal; a place where waste is left, but not necessarily an official term.
dumping ground
A place where waste is dumped, often illegally; broader and less technical.

Opposites

sanitary landfillrecycling center

Word family

dump noun
A place where waste is taken, or a messy place.
dump verb
To get rid of something you no longer want.
dumping noun
The act of getting rid of waste, often illegally.

Commonly confused: open dump or landfill?

open dump vs landfill

A landfill is an engineered facility where waste is buried; an open dump is simply waste left in the open.

Practice

The environmental agency ordered the ______ to be covered with soil.

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