The elimination of waste is a core philosophy of just in time/lean technology. What is meant by ‘waste’ in this context?

The definition can be found in any lean reference. What is the important aspect of waste is identifying it and working on the ways to get it out of the process or system. Time, excess materials to requirement, production wastes, are all controllable by a disciplined approach to systems function or operation. 

QA implementation should control most of these. If there are identified wastes, introduce KPI's against the responsible manager functional role and challenge them to fix it.

Following are seven types of waste in system & operation you can identify if you are running any operation or services:

1. Overproduce : [negative effect or image: Big amount of money stuck]

2. Waiting: [ Employ not efficient]

3. Transportation: [ Risk of accident, lost, no added value]

4. Over processing: [ Effort & time loss]

5. High Inventory [ Big Space & manpower related to Warehouse usually]

6. Unnecessary Movement [ Employ time loss non-productive]

7. Production defect : [ Lost of effort, time & money]

Just in Time: To  make arrangement to receive the raw materials /inventory on time, thus eliminating the need for storage space and shortening the investment period for inventory. So, the cost of storage space and excess cost of  investment in inventory is saved. This is elimination of "waste" 

Lean Manufacturing: Study the production process and eliminate the unnecessary steps or simplify the steps  to make production lead time shorter and this  will bring down the  production cost. This elimination of "waste" in terms of lowering the production cost

Thanks 

I support the answer given by Mr. Manzoor 

Particles extracted during the manufacturing or process or fabrication those could not find useful and may not require further to add value may be called “waste”. However, it all depend to the work environment and case to case. Some facilities have the recycling system to safeguard the environment before dispose off.

Anything that does not add value.

I fully endorse the reply given by  Md. Fazlur Rahman.

MATERIAL WHICH IS OF NO IMPORTANCE IS CALLED AS WASTE .

totally  agree with Mr.Fazlurahman