A garbage disposal unit (also known as a garbage disposal, waste disposal unit, garbage disposer,[1] or in Canadian English a garburator) is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap. The disposal unit shreds food waste into pieces small enough—generally less than 2 mm (0.079 in)—to pass through plumbing.[2]
Garbage disposal units are widely used in United States households, but far less commonly used elsewhere.