onverbruikbare

Onverbruikbare is a Dutch adjective meaning not usable or unusable, with the nuance of items that cannot be used or consumed for their intended purpose. It is formed from the negation prefix on- and the adjective verbruikbaar (usable or consumable). In practice, onverbruikbare describes substances, products, or by-products that, due to damage, contamination, obsolescence, regulatory restrictions, or design limitations, cannot be used or safely consumed. It is commonly used in contexts such as logistics, waste management, product quality, and compliance reporting.

Usage examples include onverbruikbare voedselproducten (food products not fit for consumption), onverbruikbare resten (unusable residues), and onverbruikbare bouwmaterialen (unusable construction materials). The term is often reserved for cases where something cannot be used in its intended context, rather than simply being of lesser quality. It is distinct from onbruikbaar, which is a broader term for something that is unusable in general; onverbruikbaar tends to emphasize non-utility in a specific context, such as for sale or consumption.

Grammatical note: in attributive position before nouns, the adjective typically takes the -e ending (de onverbruikbare goederen); in predicative use, the form is onverbruikbaar (Deze stof is onverbruikbaar). See also verbruikbaar and onbruikbaar for related concepts.

Etymology and language: the term is rooted in Dutch vocabulary, primarily found in technical, administrative, and quality-control registers, but it also appears in general usage to describe items or materials that cannot be utilized as intended.