Sustainable Waste Management and Resource Recovery Flashcards

Which metric is used to measure the efficiency of a material recovery facility (MRF) in diverting waste from landfill?

Answer: Diversion rate

Diversion rate quantifies the percentage of waste redirected from landfill to recovery or reuse pathways.

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

Answer: Product manufacturers and brand owners

EPR holds manufacturers financially and/or operationally responsible for managing their products at end of life.

In life cycle assessment (LCA), the 'system boundary' determines:

Answer: Which stages and processes are included in the analysis

The system boundary defines the scope of the LCA by specifying which unit processes are included or excluded.

A deposit-refund system for beverage containers is best described as a:

Answer: Economic instrument incentivizing return and reuse

Deposit-refund systems are economic instruments that incentivize consumers to return containers by assigning a refundable upfront charge.

What is the primary purpose of a 'waste characterization study'?

Answer: To identify the composition and quantity of waste streams

Waste characterization studies sample and sort waste to determine what materials are present and in what proportions.

Which approach best exemplifies 'industrial symbiosis' in sustainable waste management?

Answer: One company's waste byproduct becoming another company's raw material

Industrial symbiosis involves collaborative resource sharing between industries, where one firm's waste becomes another's input.

The 'precautionary principle' in waste management suggests that when scientific uncertainty exists, regulators should:

Answer: Take preventive action to avoid potential harm

The precautionary principle advocates for protective measures even before complete scientific proof of harm is established.