Solid Waste Management

Flashcards covering key concepts and definitions related to solid waste management based on lecture notes.

What are the environmental effects of solid waste?

The environmental effects include land and soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and habitat degradation.

What does the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act establish?

It establishes mechanisms for ecologically sound solid waste management, including segregation, collection, processing, and disposal.

What are hazardous wastes?

Hazardous wastes are solid wastes that pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly managed.

What does segregation at source mean in solid waste management?

Segregation at source refers to separating different materials found in solid waste at the point of generation to promote recycling and reduce waste volume.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)

Synthetic organic chemicals for industrial applications.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Contains regulations related to hazardous waste management.

Federal Register (FR)

Official journal of the federal government of the USA which includes regulations to hazardous waste management.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA)

Federal law that governs the management and disposal of hazardous waste enacted in 1976.

Federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA)

Amendments to the RCRA enacted in 1984.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA)

Enacted in 1980 to address abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.

Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA)

Amendment to CERCLA enacted in 1986.

Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD)

Facilities that treat, store, or dispose hazardous waste.

Underground Storage Tank (UST)

Tanks used to store hazardous substances underground.

National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP)

Blueprint for responding to hazardous substance releases.

Hazard Ranking System (HRS)

Assess the relative risk posed by hazardous waste sites.

Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS)

Assess the nature and extent of contamination at hazardous waste sites.

Record of Decisions (ROD)

Outlines the selected remedy for hazardous waste sites.

Potentially Responsible Party (PRP)

Individuals, companies, or government entities held liable.