chapter 16 key terms

toxicity

harm, illness, or death caused by chemical means through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption

waste

material outputs from a system that are not useful or consumed

planned obsolescence

the process of designing a product so that it will need to be replaced within a few years

municipal solid waste (MSW)

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

source reduction

an approach to waste management that seeks to cut waste by reducing the use of potential waste materials in the early stages of design and manufacture

reuse

using a product or material that was intended to be discarded

recycling

the process by which materials destined to become municipal solid waste (MSW) are collected and converted into raw materials that are then used to produce new objects

closed-loop recycling

recycling a product into the same product

open-loop recycling

recycling one product into a different product

composting

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 environment as possible

siting

the designation of a landfill location, typically through a regulatory process involving studies, written reports, and public hearings

tipping fee

a fee charged for disposing of material in a landfill or incinerator

incineration

the process of burning waste materials to reduce volume and mass, sometimes to generate electricity or heat

ash

the residual nonorganic material that does not combust during incineration

bottom ash

residue collected at the bottom of the combustion chamber in a furnace

fly ash

the residue collected from the chimney or exhaust pipe of a furnace

waste-to-energy system

a system in which heat generated by incineration is used as an energy source rather than released into the surrounding environment

hazardous waste

liquid, solid, gaseous, or sludge waste material that is harmful to humans, ecosystems, or materials

Superfund Act

The common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); a 1980 U.S. federal act that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, funds the cleanup of abandoned and nonoperating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the federal government to respond directly to the release of substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment

Brownfields

contaminated industrial or commercial sites that may require environmental cleanup before they can be redeveloped or expanded

life-cycle analysis AKA cradle-to-grave analysis

a systems tool that examines the materials used and released throughout the lifetime of a product–from the procurement of raw materials through their manufacture, use, and disposal

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