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Waste Collection and Transport

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Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology

Definition of the Subject and Its Importance

Concise definition of the subject and its importance with brief historical background.

Solid wastes must be collected from generation points and moved to a transfer station, or treatment, disposal, or recycling facility. Source activities are carried out at generation points. They include generation, processing, storage, and presentation to the collection system. Collection involves moving the waste from the presentation point to an unloading point, i.e., a transfer station, etc. Wastes are taken to a transfer station when the ultimate destination is far away. Environmental impact from collection and transport arise primarily from the operation of collection and transport vehicles.

Introduction

The functional elements of an integrated solid waste management system include generation, source activities, collection, processing, transfer and transport, treatment, and disposal [1]. Generation is the creation of waste, when an item becomes...

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Abbreviations

Source activities:

Actions that take place at the waste generation point that result in the proper presentation of the waste to the waste collection system.

Generation:

The act of creating a waste.

Separation:

Placing different waste materials in different containers.

Storage:

Keeping waste materials at the generation point until they can be collected.

Processing:

Changing the properties of a waste material, e.g., compacting cans.

Presentation:

Placing waste materials in the proper location for collection by the municipal waste collection program.

Participation rate:

The fraction of households that regularly present materials properly.

Residual waste:

Materials remaining as waste after reuse, recycling, or processing.

Set-out rate:

The fraction of households that present materials on collection day.

Curbside collection:

Collecting materials from each household, at the front curb or back alley.

Drop-off center:

A centrally located facility, with large containers for each type of material, from which material is collected.

Collection:

Obtaining materials from the curbside or drop-off centers and bringing that material to an unloading point.

Collection vehicle:

Vehicle designed to collect waste.

Transfer:

Moving wastes from a collection vehicle to a transport vehicle.

Transfer station:

Facility at which transfer is performed.

Material recovery facility:

Special type of transfer station, where recyclables are processed before transport.

Transport:

Moving wastes long distances for treatment, disposal, or recycling.

Transport vehicle:

Vehicle designed to move waste long distances.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA

    Dr. Jess W. Everett

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  1. Dr. Jess W. Everett
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jess W. Everett .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. RAMTECH LIMITED, Larkspur, CA, USA

    Robert A. Meyers

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Everett, J.W. (2012). Waste Collection and Transport . In: Meyers, R.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3_124

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