Module 21 Flashcards
Solid waste
Discarded products
Industrial solid waste
Waste generated by agriculture, mining, and manufacturing activities
Municipal solid waste
Garbage that is thrown out by residential or commercial buildings
Hazardous waste
Solid or liquid waste that is toxic, chemically reactive, flammable, or corrosive
Open dumps
Hole in the ground where garbage is deposited and often burned
Sanitary landfill
Municipal solid waste from initial generation to end disposal
Resources conservation & Recovery Act
Allows the EPA to set standards for the management of several types of hazardous waste
Leachate
Leaks
Incineration
Waste that is burned at high temperatures, reducing its original weight
Waste-to-energy
Facilities where heat produced by waste combustion boils water, creating steam that drives electricity generation
Closed-loop recycling
Materials converted to new products of the same type
Secondary recycling
Materials converted into a different type of product
Composting
Uses decomposing bacteria to convert biodegradable waste into useable soil amendments
Synthetic organic compounds
Examples include pesticides and PCBs
Heavy metals
Examples include mercury and lead
Deep-well disposal
A common way to store liquid hazardous waste
Surface impoundment
Storing liquid hazardous waste in natural topographic depressions or manmade ponds
Hazardous waste landfill
Storing hazardous waste in drums that are sealed and buried in special facilities
Bioremediation
Uses organisms to remove contaminants
Phytoremediation
Uses plants to absorb contaminants
Cradle-to-grave
A plan for hazardous waste from initial generation to end disposal
Comprehensive environmental response, Compensation & Liability Act
Identifies area that have been contaminated with hazardous waste
Brownfields
Abandoned industrial and commercial sites
Basel convention
Requires that developing countries give full permission to accept hazardous waste
Persistent Organic Pollutants Treaty
Agreement to phase out 12 organic persistent pollutants
