1. Solid Waste in History: Economics and Legislation:
a. Outline how the management of municipal waste has changed over the years. Compare and contrast historical solid waste management efforts with current solid waste management efforts.
b. What led to the development of sanitary landfills? How do sanitary landfills differ from open dumps? Describe how a sanitary landfill is created. How does this type of landfill construction help prevent groundwater contamination, and is it always successful?
2. Energy Conversion and Integrated Solid Waste Management:
a. What is the potential for energy recovery from solid waste? Outline how refuse can be burned and describe the results of refuse combustion.
b. Describe an integrated solid waste management plan for reducing waste at its source. How have these strategies contributed to the growth in recycling/recovery during the last 20 years?
3. Waste Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling:
a. Identify how waste reduction can be achieved. What incentives are there for the public to change its use of materials?
b. What are some examples of waste reduction that you can utilize in your everyday life? What are the benefits of recycling and what are the negative issues apparent with recycling? Identify and explain some obstacles with recycling.
4. Litter Collection: You are a consultant in a community of around 4,000 people. The city council has asked you to create an anti-litter campaign to assist the clean-up of their community. Since you believe that litter can be controlled by cognitive, social, and technological means, outline the different steps you would take in evaluating the community, why there is litter, and what you can do to assist in building the anti-litter campaign for the city council. How would your means be effective?
5. Municipal Solid Waste Characteristics: Define the term moisture transfer and outline how it is used in refuse management. Explain why moisture transfer is important in studies on refuse composition and materials recovery. How is it also important in energy conversion?