All Flashcards
What is the 'waste hierarchy'?
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - in order of priority.
Why is waste reduction important?
Conserves resources, reduces pollution, and saves energy.
What are the benefits of recycling?
Reduces landfill waste, conserves resources, and lowers pollution.
Why is proper waste management crucial?
Protects human health and the environment from pollution and disease.
What are the environmental impacts of landfills?
Soil and water contamination, methane emissions, and habitat destruction.
What are the environmental impacts of incineration?
Air pollution, ash disposal issues, and potential release of toxins.
How does waste composition vary?
By region, season, and economic factors.
What are the key components of MSW?
Paper, yard waste, plastics, metals, and food.
Why is leachate a concern in landfills?
It can contaminate groundwater and soil.
What are the benefits of composting?
Reduces landfill waste, creates nutrient-rich soil amendment.
What is Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)?
Waste from homes, businesses, and city buildings.
What is Non-Municipal Solid Waste?
Waste from industry, agriculture, mining, and oil/gas.
Define Hazardous Waste.
Waste that is toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, flammable, corrosive, or explosive.
What is a Sanitary Landfill?
A landfill with layers of clay, sand, and plastic to prevent contamination.
What is a Secure Landfill?
A landfill designed for hazardous waste, with thicker liners.
Define Incineration.
Burning waste at high temperatures to reduce volume.
What is composting?
Biological decomposition of organic solid waste.
What is waste-to-energy conversion?
Using waste as fuel to generate energy.
What is source reduction?
Reducing waste at its source, before it is generated.
What is recycling?
Converting waste materials into new products.
Explain the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' hierarchy.
Prioritizes waste reduction first, then reusing items, and finally recycling materials as a last resort.
What is the significance of waste composition?
Understanding waste composition helps in selecting appropriate waste management strategies and improving recycling efforts.
Why is waste reduction important?
It conserves resources, reduces pollution, saves energy, and decreases the need for landfills.
What are the environmental impacts of landfills?
Landfills can cause soil and water contamination, methane emissions, and habitat destruction.
Why is source reduction important?
Source reduction prevents waste from being generated in the first place, minimizing environmental impact.
What are the benefits of recycling?
Recycling conserves natural resources, reduces energy consumption, and decreases landfill waste.
Explain the concept of 'cradle to cradle'.
A design framework that seeks to create production techniques that are not just efficient but are essentially waste free and truly sustainable.
What are the limitations of incineration?
Incineration can release air pollutants and requires proper ash disposal.
Why is leachate management important in landfills?
Leachate can contaminate groundwater and soil, so proper management is crucial to prevent environmental damage.
What is the significance of methane collection in landfills?
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and collecting it reduces its contribution to climate change and can be used for energy production.