APES Chapter 18 Note Cards-MSW
Name:____________________________
Municipal Solid Waste
Using 3x5 notes cards, answer the following to be used as a study tool for tests, exams and the AP College Board exam.
Introduction
18.1
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Summarize the chapter introduction.
What would be the ideal solution to our solid waste
problems?
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Compare and contrast hazardous waste, industrial
waste and municipal solid waste.
Why has the amount of MSW in the United States
gradually increased over the years?
o How much does the average person generate
per day (2003 stats)?
o What is the makeup of the MSW? (what
refuse goes into it)
 What characteristics make the
proportions vary?
Who is in charge of MSW pickup?
o How does it get paid for?
How has MSW disposal changed since the 1960’s?
o Why?
o Describe the history of the disposal of
MSW.
Where does MSW go once it leaves homes and small
businesses?
o How does the disposal change with
increasing population density?
Describe the following problems with landfills.
o Leachate production
o Methane production
o Incomplete decomposition
o Settling
What are some unique problems with landfills in
areas like Florida?
Research and describe “Superfund”.
o How funded?
o What they do?
o Are they a sub group of a larger
organization?
Describe the kinds of pollutants that can become part
of the Leachate.
Describe the process that leads to biogas and the
problems with it.
o How have some cities made use of the
biogas?
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Describe Mt. Trashmore.
o Where is it?
o What do they do?
o Where do they do it?
o How does it relate to the chapter
introduction?
Describe the products that can be made into
biodegradable plastics.
o What is PHA?
o What is the growth rate for biodegradable
plastics predicted to be?
What has the research of the University of Arizona
shown?
o Why doesn’t the paper break down? If you
fix the problem, what other problem arises?
o Why is the incomplete decomposition of
paper and other materials a problem?
Why is the settling of landfills a problem? How does
the settling occur?
Improving landfills:
o Who is helping?
o What steps are they taking (regulations)?
o Summarize figure 18.6
Why has the number of landfills decreased?
Describe the problems associated with the siting of
landfills.
o Include the problems that are described
under outsourcing.
o What are some positives of landfill siting?
Describe NIMTOO, LULU, and NIMBY.
Describe the combustion process.
o Why is it really waste reduction?
o How much waste does this streamline?
o What are the advantages to combustion?
o What are the drawbacks to combustion?
Describe the operating of a WTE facility.
o What is a WTE facility?
Describe the costs involved with MSW (as described
on page 472).
Define the following on your index cards, give examples where plausible (page numbers where the terms can be found are in the
parenthesis):
·MSW (466)
·Landfill (467)
·Leachate (467)