CPWM Composting and Organic Waste Management Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real CPWM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CPWM Composting and Organic Waste Management Questions and Answers flashcards as text
Which yard waste material is considered a 'brown' (carbon-rich) amendment in composting?
Answer: Dried leaves
Dried leaves are high in carbon (C:N ~60–80:1) and serve as 'browns' that balance nitrogen-rich 'greens' like grass clippings.
What is 'compost maturity' used to assess?
Answer: Whether the compost is stable and will not harm plants when applied
Compost maturity indicates that biological activity has stabilized so the material will not immobilize nitrogen or produce phytotoxic compounds when applied to soil.
The EPA's food recovery hierarchy lists which option as the highest priority for surplus food?
Answer: Source reduction (preventing food waste)
The EPA food recovery hierarchy places source reduction — preventing food from becoming waste in the first place — at the top as the most preferred option.
What regulatory concern is most associated with large-scale composting facilities regarding air quality?
Answer: Volatile organic compound (VOC) and odor emissions
Large composting facilities can emit VOCs, ammonia, and odorous compounds that may require air quality permits and odor management plans.
Which process involves heating organic material in the absence of oxygen to produce biochar and syngas?
Answer: Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis thermally decomposes organic material at high temperatures without oxygen, yielding biochar (a stable carbon product), bio-oil, and syngas.
When landfills accept organic material, the primary environmental concern is:
Answer: Generation of leachate and landfill gas including methane
Organic decomposition in landfills produces leachate (potentially contaminating groundwater) and landfill gas (primarily methane and CO₂, contributing to climate change).