Landfill Management, Waste Reduction, and Mining Methods Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to landfill engineering, waste management strategies, and surface and subsurface mining practices.

Garbage

Solid waste buried in a designated landfill area.

Leachate

Contaminated liquid created when water passes through garbage and picks up pollutants.

Leachate collection system

System at the bottom of a landfill that collects contaminated liquid before it can spread and removes it from the landfill.

Leachate treatment system

System that treats and cleans collected contaminated liquid to remove or reduce pollutants.

Landfill liner

Thick, low-permeability barrier along the bottom and sides of a landfill that prevents leachate from escaping and keeps contaminants from moving downward into soil and groundwater.

Clay cap

Cover placed across the top of a landfill designed to reduce precipitation infiltration and rainwater entering the waste.

Methane

Greenhouse gas produced when organic waste decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen) inside a landfill.

Methane recovery system

System that captures methane produced by decomposing landfill waste rather than allowing it to escape directly.

Aquifer

Underground layer of permeable rock or sediment capable of storing and transmitting groundwater, which a landfill liner helps protect from contamination.

Groundwater

Water located beneath Earth's surface that could be contaminated by landfill leakage.

Groundwater monitoring well

Structure or well placed near a landfill to test groundwater for possible contamination and check whether pollutants have reached it.

Anaerobic decomposition

Decomposition that occurs when little or no oxygen is present.

Reduction

Waste-management strategy focused on preventing waste from being created in the first place and avoiding unnecessary consumption.

Reuse

Using an object again instead of throwing it away, such as using a reusable water bottle repeatedly instead of buying disposable bottles.

Recycling

Processing used materials into materials that can be used again, which conserves raw materials, reduces landfill disposal, and can reduce energy use.

Composting

Controlled decomposition of organic material, such as food scraps and leaves, into a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Limitation of recycling

Requires collection, sorting, processing, and markets for recycled materials.

Disadvantage of composting

Poorly managed compost can produce unpleasant smells and attract pests, and it requires appropriate space, conditions, and management.

Surface mining

Extraction of minerals/resources from deposits close to Earth's surface, causing greater direct alteration of the surface.

Subsurface mining

Extraction of minerals/resources from deposits deep underground using shafts and tunnels, causing less direct surface disturbance.

Strip mining

Surface mining method in which large amounts of overlying material are removed in long strips.

Open-pit mining

Surface mining method that creates a large excavation to access an ore deposit.

Mountaintop removal

Mining method that removes the top of a mountain to access coal.

Surface mining advantage

Resources are relatively easy to access and large quantities can be extracted efficiently.

Surface mining consequence

Major disadvantage of surface mining in which existing habitat is destroyed or removed.