Unit 7: Solid Waste Disposal Flashcards
Leachate
Liquid with high levels of pollutants as a result of passing through MSW or contaminated soil.
Sanitary landfill
An engineered ground facility designed to store MSW with as little contamination of surrounding environment as possible.
Why don’t things breakdown or decompose in landfills?
Most areas don’t contain the necessary mixture of air, moisture, and organic material at the correct levels, which is needed for decomposition.
Functions of landfills
Bottom liner, storm water collection system, leachate collection system, cap, methane collection system.
Bottom liner
Clay or plastic, prevents water flow and clay hold positively charged ions.
Storm water collection system
Excess water leads to more anaerobic decomposition, so methane release.
Leachate collection system
Prevents leachate from going into nearby groundwater.
Cap
Input and output of water reduced, can be reclaimed.
Methane collection system
Methane is collected and used to generate heat and electricity.
Good things for landfills
Composite materials made of plastic and paper, glass, plastics (when they can’t be recycled).
Bad things for landfills
Metals (aluminum and copper) toxic material, electronics, batteries, organic materials, appliances.
Environmental consequences of landfills
Contaminate groundwater and release harmful gasses (methane).
How do landfills contaminate groundwater?
Even after a landfill closes, leaching can still contaminate local water.
How do landfills release harmful gasses?
Because of lack of oxygen once compacted, anaerobic decomposition occurs, causing the production of methane, CO2, and other harmful gasses.
Incineration
Burning waste to reduce its volume and mass, sometimes to generate heat or electricity.
