# reprocessing

/ɹiˈpɹɔsɛsɪŋ/ (US) · /ɹɪpɹˈəʊsɛsɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reprocessing
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

processing used material again to get something useful from it, like fuel or plastic. You see this word in recycling, energy, and computers.

For teachers: repeated processing of material to recover usable substances or improve performance, especially spent nuclear fuel, waste plastics, or recorded data.

## Examples

- The plant handles the reprocessing of old plastic bottles.
- The facility specializes in the reprocessing of spent fuel to recover uranium and plutonium for new reactor use.
- Effective reprocessing reduces long-term waste storage needs, though it raises complex questions about cost, safety, and control of sensitive materials.

## Synonyms

recycling

## Usage notes

- Typically used with 'of' + the material processed, as in 'reprocessing of waste'.

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