Consumables

Not to be confused with consumer goods.

A consumable is, according to the 1913 edition of Webster's Dictionary, something that is capable of being consumed; that may be destroyed, dissipated, wasted, or spent. John Locke specifies these as "consumable commodities."^[1]

Consumables are products that consumers buy recurrently, i.e., items which "get used up" or discarded.
For example consumable office supplies are such products as paper, pens, file folders, post-it notes, computer disks, and toner or ink cartridges. Not included capital goods such as computers, fax machines, and other business machines or office furniture. ^[2]

For arc welding one uses a consumable electrode. This is an electrode that conducts electricity to the arc but also melts into the weld as a filler metal. ^[3]

Consumable or disposable products associated with the preparation or presentation of serving food include but is not limited to plastic, foam, paper goods and cleaning supplies.

See also

• Disposable
• Economic order quantity
• Environmental Design
• Principles of Intelligent Urbanism

References

1. ^ Definition in online dictionary
2. ^ FTC v. Staples, Inc., consumables discussed in a legal case.
3. ^ Consumable electrode, example as part of industrial process.

External links

• Defining consumable relative to waste