Waste Collection and Transportation Practices Flashcards

What is the purpose of establishing a 'set-out rate' metric in residential collection programs?

Answer: To measure the percentage of households that place containers for collection on a given day

Set-out rate measures how many eligible households actually participate in a collection program on a given service day, informing route planning and service adjustments.

Which OSHA standard most directly governs worker safety during manual waste collection operations?

Answer: 29 CFR 1910.132 – Personal Protective Equipment

OSHA's PPE standard (29 CFR 1910.132) requires employers to assess hazards and provide appropriate protective equipment to collection workers.

A municipality is considering transitioning from twice-weekly to once-weekly residential collection. The primary trade-off is:

Answer: Lower cost and reduced vehicle wear versus potential odor and overflow issues for residents

Once-weekly collection cuts operational costs and fleet wear but may cause resident complaints about odors, especially for putrescible waste in warm climates.

In route optimization software, what is the significance of a 'time window constraint'?

Answer: A specific time range during which a collection stop must be serviced

Time window constraints in routing software ensure that specific stops (e.g., commercial accounts or schools) are served only during allowable hours.

Which container type is most appropriate for collecting source-separated organics (SSO) in a food waste collection program?

Answer: Standard polyethylene roll carts with tight-fitting lids

Lidded roll carts made of polyethylene are standard for SSO collection because they contain odors, resist pests, and are compatible with automated collection vehicles.

What is the legal consequence if a hazardous waste transporter delivers waste to a facility that does not have a valid RCRA permit?

Answer: Civil and criminal penalties under RCRA Subtitle C enforcement provisions

Delivering hazardous waste to an unpermitted facility violates RCRA and can result in significant civil fines and criminal prosecution for the transporter.

When calculating collection vehicle productivity, what does 'tons per truck per day' primarily measure?

Answer: Operational efficiency and throughput of the collection fleet

Tons per truck per day is a key fleet productivity metric that reflects how efficiently vehicles and crews are collecting waste relative to their capacity.