interdisciplinary relationships among such fields as political science, city and regional planning. geography, economics. public health, sociology. demography. communications. and conservation.as Functional Elements of a Waste Management System The problems associated with the management of solid wastes in today's society are complex because of the quantity and diverse nature of the wastes, the development of sprawling urban areas, the funding limitations for public services in many large cities, the impacts of technology, and the emerging limitations in both energy and raw materials. As a consequence, if solid waste management to be accomplished in an efficient and orderly manner, the fundamental aspects and relationships involved must be identified, adjusted for uniformity of data, and understood clearly In this text. the activities associated with the management of solid wastes, from the point of generation to final disposal have been grouped into the six functional elements:(1) waste generation:(2)waste I processI the source:(3) collection: ( 4) separation solid w considering each functional element separately, it is possible(1) to identify the fundamental aspects and relationships involved in each element and(2)to develop, where possible, quantifiable relationships for the purposes of making engineering comparisons, analyses, and eval uations. This separation of functional elements is important because it allows the development of a framework within which to evaluate the impact of proposed changes and future technological advancements. For example, the means of transport in the collection of solid wastes has changed from the horse-drawn cart to the motor vehicle, but the fundamental method of collection-that is, the manual physical handling required-remains the same Waste generation Waste generation encompasses activities in which materials are identified as no longer being of value and are either thrown away or gathered together for disposal. For example, the wrapping of a candy bar is usually considered to be of little further value to the owner once the candy is consumed, and more often that not it is just thrown away, especially outdoors. It rtant in waste generation to note that there is an identification step and that this step varies with each individual waste Waste generation is, at present, an activity that is not very controllable. In the future, however, more control will be exercised over the generation of wastes. In states where waste diversion goals are set by law, and must be met under threat of economic penalty, it is necessary to put in place a manifest is now included in system evaluations as a method of limiting the quantity of waste generated anagers, system to monitor waste diversion. Source reduction, although not controlled by solid waste Waste Handling and Separation, Storage, and Processing at the Source. The second of the six functional elements in the solid waste management system is waste handling and separation, storage, and processing at the source. Waste handling and separation involves the activities associated with management of wastes until they are placed in storage containers for collection Handling also encompasses the movement of loaded containers to the point of collection. Separation of waste components is an important step in the handling and storage of solid waste at the source. For example, from the standpoint of materials specifications and revenues from the sale of recovered materials, the best place to separate waste materials for reuse and recvcling is at the source of generation. Homeowners are becoming more aware of the importance of separating newspaper and cardboard, bottles, yard wastes, aluminum cans, and ferrous materials. Currently, source separation of hazardous wastes by homeowners is being discussed widely and implemented to varying degrees On-site storage primary importance because of public health concerns and aesthetic considerations. Unsightly makeshift containers and even open ground storage, both of which are undesirable, are often seen at many residential and commercial sites. The cost of providing storage for solid wastes at the source is normally borne by the homeowner or apartment owner in the case of individuals, or by the management of commercial and industrial properties. Processing at the source Collection The functional element of collection, as used in this book, includes not only the gathering of solid wastes and recyclable materials, but also the transport of these materials, after collection, to the location where the collection vehicle is emptied. This location may be a materials processing facility, a12-3 interdisciplinary relationships among such fields as political science, city and regional planning, geography, economics, public health, sociology, demography, communications, and conservation, as well as engineering and materials science. Functional Elements of a Waste Management System The problems associated with the management of solid wastes in today's society are complex because of the quantity and diverse nature of the wastes, the development of sprawling urban areas, the funding limitations for public services in many large cities, the impacts of technology, and the emerging limitations in both energy and raw materials. As a consequence, if solid waste management is to be accomplished in an efficient and orderly manner, the fundamental aspects and relationships involved must be identified, adjusted for uniformity of data, and understood clearly. In this text, the activities associated with the management of solid wastes, from the point of generation to final disposal have been grouped into the six functional elements: (1) waste generation; (2) waste handling and separation, storage, and processing at the source; (3) collection; (4) separation and processing and transformation of solid wastes; (5) transfer and transport; and (6) disposal. By considering each functional element separately, it is possible (1) to identify the fundamental aspects and relationships involved in each element and (2) to develop, where possible, quantifiable relationships for the purposes of making engineering comparisons, analyses, and evaluations. This separation of functional elements is important because it allows the development of a framework within which to evaluate the impact of proposed changes and future technological advancements. For example, the means of transport in the collection of solid wastes has changed from the horse-drawn cart to the motor vehicle, but the fundamental method of collection—that is, the manual physical handling required—remains the same . Waste Generation. Waste generation encompasses activities in which materials are identified as no longer being of value and are either thrown away or gathered together for disposal. For example, the wrapping of a candy bar is usually considered to be of little further value to the owner once the candy is consumed, and more often that not it is just thrown away, especially outdoors. It is important in waste generation to note that there is an identification step and that this step varies with each individual waste. Waste generation is, at present, an activity that is not very controllable. In the future, however, more control will be exercised over the generation of wastes. In states where waste diversion goals are set by law, and must be met under threat of economic penalty, it is necessary to put in place a manifest system to monitor waste diversion. Source reduction, although not controlled by solid waste managers, is now included in system evaluations as a method of limiting the quantity of waste generated. Waste Handling and Separation, Storage, and Processing at the Source. The second of the six functional elements in the solid waste management system is waste handling and separation, storage, and processing at the source. Waste handling and separation involves the activities associated with management of wastes until they are placed in storage containers for collection. Handling also encompasses the movement of loaded containers to the point of collection. Separation of waste components is an important step in the handling and storage of solid waste at the source. For example, from the standpoint of materials specifications and revenues from the sale of recovered materials, the best place to separate waste materials for reuse and recycling is at the source of generation. Homeowners are becoming more aware of the importance of separating newspaper and cardboard, bottles, yard wastes, aluminum cans, and ferrous materials. Currently, source separation of hazardous wastes by homeowners is being discussed widely and implemented to varying degrees. On-site storage is of primary importance because of public health concerns and aesthetic considerations. Unsightly makeshift containers and even open ground storage, both of which are undesirable, are often seen at many residential and commercial sites. The cost of providing storage for solid wastes at the source is normally borne by the homeowner or apartment owner in the case of individuals, or by the management of commercial and industrial properties. Processing at the source involves activities such as compaction and yard waste composting. Collection The functional element of collection, as used in this book, includes not only the gathering of solid wastes and recyclable materials, but also the transport of these materials, after collection, to the location where the collection vehicle is emptied. This location may be a materials processing facility, a