Chapter 21: Preventing and Managing Solid Waste

Terms in this set (22)

Waste Stream
The steady flow of varied waste that we produce.
Electronic Waste (e-waste)
The disposal of electronics containing a complex mix of often-toxic metals and plastics
Sanitary Landfills
Where solid waste is contained more effectively; operators are required to compact the refuse and cover it every day with a layer of dirt
Energy Recovery
Burning; the heat derived from incinerated refuse is a useful resource
Refuse-derived Fuel
refuse is sorted as it comes in to remove unburn-able or recyclable materials before combustion
Mass Burn
Dumping everything smaller than sofas and refrigerators into a giant furnace and burn as much as possible
Recycling
Reprocessing of discarded materials into new, useful products
Composting
Decomposition to reduce organic debris to a nutrient-rich soil amendment
Demanufacturing
The disassembly and recycling of obsolete products; large item tear-down
Photodegradable Plastics
Breakdown when exposed to ultraviolet radiation
Biodegradable Plastics
Materials that can be decomposed by microorganisms
Hazardous Waste
Any discarded material, liquid, or solid that contains substances know to be (1) fatal to humans or laboratory animals in low doses, (2) toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic to humans or other life forms, (3) ignitable with a flash point less than 60C, (4) corrosive, or (5) explosive or highly reactive, undergoes violent chemical reactions
Superfund
Revolving pool designed to (1) provide an immediate response to emergency situations that pose immediate response to emergency situations that pose imminent hazardous, and (2) to clean up or remediate abandoned or inactive sites
Brownfields
Large areas of contaminated properties that have been abandoned because of real or suspected pollution
Bioremediation
The great capacity of microorganisms to absorb, accumulate, and detoxify a variety of toxic compounds
Permanent Retrievable Storage
Placing waste storage container in a secure building where they can be inspected and retrieved for repacking or for transferring to a better means of disposal
Retrievable Storage
a temporary storage site for waste
Secure Landfills
a solid waste disposal site lined and capped with an impermeable barrier to prevent leakage or leaching. drain tiles, sampling wells, and vent systems provide monitoring and pollution control
What are solid wastes and hazardous wastes?
Solid waste is materials that can not be decomposed. Hazardous waste is toxic material that can do harm to living beings and the environment.
Describe the difference between an open dump, a sanitary landfill and a modern, secure, hazardous waste disposal site.
Open dumps do not regulate what goes into their dumps. Chemicals and other liquids are able to run to the ground water.
Sanitary landfills are disposal sites for non-hazardous solid waste that is spread in layers and compacted to the smallest practical volume. The sites are typically designed with floors made of materials to treat seeping liquids and are covered by soil as the wastes are compacted and deposited into the landfill.
Hazardous waste disposal sites focus on hazardous material and liquids which should be properly disposed of.
Why are landfill sites becoming limited around most major urban areas? What steps are being taken to solve this problem?
As cities are growing, they are producing more trash. That urban dumping areas are looked as a health hazard for what they are containing. Most of the trash is being shipped across seas or to other areas of the US to be disposed of. If material is able to be recycled, it is then sent to special processing plants.
Describe some concerns about waste incineration.
Burning waste may cause air pollutants which could cause health effects. As garbage is burned, different chemicals may be leaked into the air which could come down as condensation.
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