Population Sustainability & Waste Flashcards
Affluence
The state of having plentiful wealth including the possession of money, goods, or property.
Family Planning
The practice of regulating the number or spacing of offspring through the use of birth control/contraception.
IPAT Equation
An equation used to estimate the impact of human lifestyle on the environment:
Municipal Solid Waste
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 disposed of in another way.
Hazardous Waste
Comprises all toxic chemicals, radioactive materials, and biologic or infectious waste most likely from industrial processes that yield unwanted byproducts and spilled materials. Controlled through international and national regulations.
E-Waste
Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling or disposal are also considered as e-waste.
Compositing
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 environmental as possible.
Incineration
The process of burning waste materials to reduce volume and mass, sometimes to generate electricity or heat.
Bottom Ash
Residue collected at the bottom of the combustion chamber in a furnace
CERCLA (Superfund)
A federal act that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, funds the cleanup of abandoned and non-operating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the federal government to respond directly to the release or threatened release of substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment.
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.
