從物質資源作為經濟社會發展的基礎以及資源形成過程中人類勞動的介入程度這一視角出發，我們認為可以將資源分成自然資源、人工物質資源和廢棄物資源即可再生資源三大類：
1.自然資源包括土地資源、氣候資源、水資源、生物資源、礦產資源及海洋資源等。
2.人(ren)工(gong)物(wu)質資(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)是指人(ren)類(lei)(lei)在(zai)生(sheng)產(chan)過程(cheng)中(zhong)開發利用自然資(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)而形成的物(wu)質資(zi)(zi)料和制(zhi)成品(pin)。初步分析，可以把(ba)此類(lei)(lei)資(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)分成四大部分，即原料、能源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)、材料和制(zhi)成品(pin)。人(ren)工(gong)物(wu)質資(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)來源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)于自然資(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，是人(ren)們(men)所利用的自然資(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的階(jie)段性(xing)產(chan)品(pin)，是社(she)會生(sheng)產(chan)和生(sheng)活所必需的物(wu)質資(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。

3.廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)又(you)稱再生資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，包括可(ke)利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)和(he)廢(fei)(fei)(fei)舊物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)資(zi)(zi)(zi)，廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)具有(you)(you)再生性。所謂廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)再生，從(cong)狹義(yi)(yi)上(shang)講，是指(zhi)對那些不符合出廠規格的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)廢(fei)(fei)(fei)品(pin)及(ji)破(po)舊的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)或(huo)失(shi)去(qu)原(yuan)有(you)(you)使(shi)(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)價值(zhi)而被棄(qi)(qi)置不用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)料等，經過(guo)回收加(jia)(jia)工改(gai)制，使(shi)(shi)其(qi)恢復原(yuan)有(you)(you)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)性能(neng)和(he)使(shi)(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)價值(zhi)功(gong)能(neng)，再生利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)作生產新(xin)產品(pin)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)增殖過(guo)程。從(cong)廣義(yi)(yi)上(shang)講，除(chu)上(shang)述范(fan)圍外，還 包括在(zai)(zai)礦(kuang)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)、生物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)開發利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)和(he)原(yuan)材料、能(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)消(xiao)耗利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)過(guo)程產生的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)中，對其(qi)有(you)(you)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)回收加(jia)(jia)工利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)化。無論(lun)從(cong)狹義(yi)(yi)或(huo)者廣義(yi)(yi)上(shang)講，實(shi)現(xian)廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)再生的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)目(mu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)，在(zai)(zai)于發揮物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)多種(zhong)功(gong)能(neng)，物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)盡其(qi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)，為(wei)人類(lei)發展提供更加(jia)(jia)充裕的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)來源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)之所以(yi)具有(you)(you)這種(zhong)再生性，是因為(wei)其(qi)在(zai)(zai)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)結構上(shang)具有(you)(you)多元素多成分性，以(yi)及(ji) 由(you)此(ci)分別形(xing)成的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)多種(zhong)不同(tong)組合，構成了(le)其(qi)在(zai)(zai)社(she)會(hui)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)途(tu)上(shang)具有(you)(you)多種(zhong)功(gong)能(neng)。按照客(ke)觀(guan)規律(lv)，物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)質(zhi)(zhi) 不滅，在(zai)(zai)一定條件下能(neng)量及(ji)功(gong)能(neng)可(ke)以(yi)轉換。因此(ci)，廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)可(ke)以(yi)通過(guo)加(jia)(jia)工、改(gai)制、更新(xin)后 進行再利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)。隨著社(she)會(hui)生產的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)發展，科學技術的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)進步，人們采用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)不斷加(jia)(jia)強(qiang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)綜(zong)合利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)手段，對廢(fei)(fei)(fei)棄(qi)(qi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)可(ke)行性認識更加(jia)(jia)深入(ru)，利(li)(li)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)行為(wei)日益(yi)廣泛(fan)，并作為(wei)資(zi)(zi)(zi)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)重要部分用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)于生產與生活，取(qu)得了(le)可(ke)觀(guan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)經濟效益(yi)、環境效益(yi)和(he)社(she)會(hui)效益(yi)。