garbage vs trash

No

Hi Yankee,

Below are the definitions I got from online dictionaries.

trash n. Worthless or discarded material or objects; refuse or rubbish. Something broken off or removed to be discarded, especially plant trimmings

garbage n. Food wastes, as from a kitchen.

I'm trying to und

Well, I guess you could say there is a tendency to differentiate the two words that way. However, I know plenty of people who regularly throw food waste in a "trash can". Those same people might tell you they throw waste paper in a "garbage can". The two words are often used interchangeably. Sometimes it simply depends on the context. For example, I have a 'garbage dispos

Thank you, Yankee. I see why you said they are context dependent. Thank you for the explanation.

Yes! "Waste" is the generic term, and...
"Garbage" is more specific, referring to kitchen and table waste. "Rubbish" or "Trash" is mixed household waste, including paper and packaging. Other muninipal waste management terms include "sewage", and "plant materials" from yard or garden operation.

Hi,

Nowadays, there is also the term 'Recycling', which refers to all the stuff you discard that can be recycled by the city.

Where I live, every city has a recycling program. And most people don't clearly distinguish between those other terms.

Clive

Except the driver of the "garbage truck".

Yes, in general this is preferred usage. For example, one sometimes here's reference to a "trash fire," but never a "garbage fire." This is because "trash" generally referes to dry material (though in general usage a secondary definition that includes all refuse occurs), whereas "garbage" refers to wet -- and not flammable -- material.