CPWM Waste Collection and Transportation Practices 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of establishing a 'set-out rate' metric in residential collection programs?
- To measure the percentage of households that place containers for collection on a given day (Correct answer)
- To calculate the weight of waste per household per trip
- To determine the optimal truck loading speed
- To track driver adherence to route timing
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which OSHA standard most directly governs worker safety during manual waste collection operations?
- 29 CFR 1910.147 – Lockout/Tagout
- 29 CFR 1910.132 – Personal Protective Equipment (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1926.601 – Motor Vehicles
- 29 CFR 1910.178 – Powered Industrial Trucks
Correct 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.
Question 3: A municipality is considering transitioning from twice-weekly to once-weekly residential collection. The primary trade-off is:
- Lower cost and reduced vehicle wear versus potential odor and overflow issues for residents (Correct answer)
- Faster route completion versus higher fuel consumption
- Reduced driver overtime versus increased container contamination
- Lower equipment costs versus higher processing fees at the landfill
Correct 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.
Question 4: In route optimization software, what is the significance of a 'time window constraint'?
- The maximum hours a driver can legally operate per day
- A specific time range during which a collection stop must be serviced (Correct answer)
- The deadline for completing the entire route
- The interval between scheduled vehicle maintenance stops
Correct 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.
Question 5: Which container type is most appropriate for collecting source-separated organics (SSO) in a food waste collection program?
- Standard polyethylene roll carts with tight-fitting lids (Correct answer)
- Open-top metal dumpsters
- Compactor containers
- Clear plastic bags
Correct 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.
Question 6: What is the legal consequence if a hazardous waste transporter delivers waste to a facility that does not have a valid RCRA permit?
- A warning letter from the state agency
- Civil and criminal penalties under RCRA Subtitle C enforcement provisions (Correct answer)
- Suspension of DOT operating authority only
- Mandatory waste retrieval within 30 days with no financial penalty
Correct 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.
Question 7: When calculating collection vehicle productivity, what does 'tons per truck per day' primarily measure?
- The environmental impact of each route
- Operational efficiency and throughput of the collection fleet (Correct answer)
- The regulatory compliance rate for waste characterization
- Driver performance on customer service metrics
Correct 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.
CPWM Waste Collection and Transportation Practices 4
What is the purpose of establishing a 'set-out rate' metric in residential collection programs?