Even though there are vast opportuni- ties for combining cleaner production (CP) and lean man- ufacturing (LM), de- signing combined approaches that are both practical and empirically successful is still challenging. Although there are rhetorical claims that the themes are compatible, this article aims to provide actual evidence regarding how the themes are connected. We investigated the shared “gene” that links the two themes using both a historical review and frame semantic analysis. We used the historical review to identify the main evolutionary milestones of each theme. This review also provided a collection of defini- tions assumed by the themes across time. We then performed a frame semantic analysis on the set of definitions gathered during the his- torical review to identify the common semantic elements between LM and CP. The construct “waste” was identified as the common gene between the two themes; however, “waste” bears com- pletely different meanings within each theme. For a better understanding of how “waste” is per- ceived in CP and LM, we carried out a literature review, and the definitions of “waste” for each theme were subjected to frame semantic analy- sis. Finally, considering the need for consensus regarding the meaning of “waste” in order to successfully combine the two themes and based Environmental Quality Management / DOI 10.1002/tqem / Fall 2015 / 25 © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/tqem.21443 “Waste” as the Common “Gene” Connecting Cleaner Production and Lean Manufacturing: A Proposition of a Hybrid Definition Can Cleaner Production and Lean Manufacturing Programs Work Together for Environmental Gains? R. L. R. B. Cobra, M. Guardia, G. A. Queiroz, J. A. Oliveira, A. R. Ometto, and K. F. Esposto