Characterization of municipal solid waste in California
- Kern County Waste Management Dept., Bakersfield, CA (United States)
- California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacramento, CA (United States). Waste Characterization and Analysis Branch
Signed into law in 1989, the California Integrated Waste Management Act requires each California city and county to divert 25% of solid waste generated by 1995 and then 50% by the year 2000 through activities such as source reduction, recycling, composting, and transformation. One of the first mandated actions to be taken by local governments was to conduct a representative solid waste characterization study to determine the types and amounts of materials disposed. By doing this, solid waste management planners could target key waste types for diversion, set waste management goals, and track progress towards those goals. But because many jurisdictions were unfamiliar with waste characterization studies, a wide range of characterization techniques and methods were used which made it difficult for county and state officials to compile and compare results at regional or statewide levels. Many of the initial studies that were conducted used vague material type definitions, inconsistent segregation techniques, and unreliable health and safety plans. Also, as new businesses became more involved in waste management, basic questions were asked about the waste stream that could not be answered by some early studies.
- OSTI ID:
- 287504
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960345-; ISBN 0-7918-1227-8; TRN: IM9639%%92
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. biennial conference of the Solid Waste Processing Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and 4th North American waste-to-energy conference, Atlantic City, NJ (United States), 31 Mar - 3 Apr 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of 17. biennial waste processing conference: Proceedings; PB: 496 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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