CPWM CPWM Waste Management Planning and Program Economics Questions and Answers

Question 1

What is a 'solid waste management plan' (SWMP) primarily used for by municipalities?

Accepted Answer

Guiding long-term decisions on waste collection, treatment, and disposal infrastructure

Answer

Setting landfill tipping fees

Answer

Calculating employee wages

Answer

Registering hazardous waste generators

Question 2

What does 'tipping fee' mean in waste management economics?

Accepted Answer

The charge per ton for disposing of waste at a facility

Answer

A fee paid to truck drivers for safe tipping

Answer

A surcharge on recycling bins

Answer

A federal permit fee for landfill operators

Question 3

Which financial instrument is commonly used by municipalities to fund large capital projects such as a new materials recovery facility?

Accepted Answer

General obligation or revenue bonds

Answer

Tipping fee credits

Answer

EPA Section 129 grants only

Answer

State lottery proceeds

Question 4

A 'pay-as-you-throw' (PAYT) program charges residents based on:

Accepted Answer

The volume or weight of trash they set out for collection

Answer

Their annual income

Answer

The number of recycling bins they use

Answer

Their distance from the landfill

Question 5

What is 'lifecycle cost analysis' (LCCA) used for in waste management planning?

Accepted Answer

Evaluating the total costs of a system over its entire operational life

Answer

Estimating worker age demographics

Answer

Setting recyclable commodity prices

Answer

Determining landfill airspace consumption

Question 6

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs shift the cost of end-of-life product management to:

Accepted Answer

Producers and brand owners of the products

Answer

Municipal governments via property tax

Answer

Consumers through purchase surcharges only

Answer

Federal agencies via grants