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AP Environmental Science Vocabulary Chapter 16

Terms in this set (24)

Waste
material outputs from a system that are not useful or consumed
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
refuse collected by municipalities from households, small businesses, and institutions
Waste Stream
the flow of solid waste that is recycled, incinerated, placed in a solid waste landfill, or dosposed of in another way
Reduce, reuse, recycle
a popular phrase promoting the idea of diverting materials from the waste stream, aka the three Rs
Source Reduction
an approach to waste management that seeks to cut waste by reducing the use of potential waste materials in the early stages of design and manufacture
Reuse
using a product or material that was intended to be discarded
Recycling
the process by which materials destined to become municipal solid waste (MSW) are collected and converted into raw material that is then used to produce new objects
Closed-Loop Recycling
recycling a product into the same product
Open-Loop Recycling
recycling one product into a different product
Composting
creation of organic matter (humus) by decomposition under controlled conditions to produce an organic-rich material that enhances soil structure, cation exchange capacity, and fertility
Leachate
liquid that contains elevated levels of pollutants as a result of having passed through municipal solid waste (MSW) or contaminated soil
Sanitary Landfill
an engineered ground facility designed to hold municipal solid waste (MSW) with as little contamination of the surrounding environment as possible
Tipping Fee
a fee charged for disposing of material in a landfill or incinerator
Siting
a designation of a landfill location, typically throigh a regulatory process involving studies, written reports, and public hearings
Incineration
the process of burning waste materials to reduce volume and mass, sometimes to generate electricity or heat
Ash
the residual nonorganic material that does not combust during incineration
Bottom Ash
residue collected at the bottom of the combustion chamber in a furnace
Fly Ash
the residue collected from the chimney or exhaust pipe of a furnace
Waste-to-Energy
a system in which heat generated by incineration is used as an energy source rather than released into the atmosphere
Hazardous Waste
liquid, solid, gaseous, or sludge waste material that is harmful to humans or ecosystems
Superfund Act
the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); a 1980 US federal act that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, funds the cleanup of abandoned and nonoperating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the federal government to respond directly to the release or threatened release of substances that may poss a threat to human health or the environment
Brownfields
contaminated industrial or commercial sites that may require environmental cleanup before they can be redeveloped or expanded
Life-Cycle Analysis
a systems tool that looks at the materials used and released throughout the lifetime of a product - from the procurement of raw materials through their manufacture, use, and disposal aka Cradle-to-Grave Analysis
Integrated Waste Management
an approach to waste disposal that employs several waste reduction, management, and disposal strategies in order to reduce the environmental impact of MSW
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