MEE 5901, Advanced Solid Waste Management
Unit II Assignment

This assignment will allow you to demonstrate the following objectives:
 
· Assess the fundamental science and engineering principles of solid waste management.
· Relate leadership and management principles to effective solid waste management.
 
 
Instructions: In this unit, the management of municipal solid waste starts to be viewed from the perspective of the local government. This involves looking at questions that need to be answered to properly develop waste management policies and practices for the community. Some of the economic aspects of waste management are explored, as all these activities need to be funded and budgeted and paid for by the community.
 
Answer the questions directly on this document. When you are finished, select “Save As,” and save the document using this format: Student ID_Unit# (ex. 1234567_UnitI). Upload this document to BlackBoard as a .doc, docx, or .rtf file. The specified word count is given for each question. At a minimum, you must use your textbook as a resource for these questions. Other sources may be used as needed. All material from outside sources (including your textbook) must be cited and referenced in APA format. Please include a reference list after each question.
 
 
1) Describe three key factors that help to determine the likelihood that a person will litter. Which of these factors is most likely to contribute to the probability that a person will litter. State how you came to this conclusion.
 
To fight litter in your community, design a six- step actionable litter plan that you can give to a project team to implement. In your plan, include the management principles that go into making this plan. Justify to the implementation team why your plan will be successful. (Your total response for all parts of this question should be at least 300 words.)
 
2) A municipal government has agreed to provide once- per- week waste collection services to a new residential community of 10,000 people. The city council has hired you to make a preliminary assessment to determine if they it should build and operate a transfer station to support the collection. For the initial analysis, assume that the community does not have a recycling program. Here is some of the initial data that the municipal engineer has collected. The round- trip distance from the residential community to the landfill is 58 miles.
 
· The round- trip distance from the proposed site of the transfer station will be 63 miles.
· Size The size of the residential garbage truck that collects waste from the community is 28 cubic yards.
· The garbage truck is capable to of compacting the refuse to 650 pounds per cubic yard.
· A long- haul truck is capable to of transporting 23 tons of compacted waste per trip.
· The transfer station has a fixed operating cost of $10/ton.
· The cost to operate the garbage truck is $1.30/mile.
· The cost to operate the long- haul truck is $0.56/mile.
 
a) Using what you have determined from the information above, assess using the principles of solid waste management. Would you recommend to the city council that a transfer station should be built and operated? Show all work on how you came to your answer. Note: Pg.p. 39 – The United Nations (UN) estimates the waste generation rate is 4.8 pound per person per day.
b) If the community operated a recycling program, would this change or support your recommendation to the city council? Show all work on how you came to your answer. Note: Pgp.. 99 – Table 3.-1 – total Total recycled municipal waste is 34.5% of generation. (Your total response for all parts of this question should be at least 200 words.)
 
3) Phase 1 of the refuse collection system discusses volume-based fee systems and weight-based fee systems.
 
a) For a residential community, explain why a volume-based fee system would be recommended.
b) Give the reasons for the fee based system that you would recommend for a commercial operation.
c) For a construction site, defend your recommendation for the fee based system that you would recommend.
d) What leadership and/or management principles factored into your recommendation? (Your total response for all parts of this question should be at least 200 words.)
 
4) Table 3.-1 (pg.p. 99) is a listing of materials collected in recycling programs in 2012.
 
· Which of these would you recommend to go to a compost pile? What percent of the 2012 recycled materials does this divert?
· Provide your recommendations to the city council for how you would keep materials destined for composting from comingling with the other recycled materials. (Your total response for all parts of this question should be at least 200 words.)