alternative. It is most practical for the engineer to develop details of administration only for the short-term planning period (7 years into the future). Detailed administrative planning for the long term is meaningless because changes can occur so rapidly in the solid waste management field. Managers responsible for operations during the short term will usually establish organizational policies and functions for the long term.

CHAPTER 4. ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES

Engineering and operational issues include the mechanics of obtaining data, analyzing the data, and deciding on a plan of action to solve a particular solid waste handling problem. This chapter addresses the following issues:

hazardous wastes that may enter normally nonhazardous waste streams.

4.1 GENERATION OF SOLID WASTES

as:

4.1.1 The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act defines solid wastes

"Any garbage, refuse, sludge from a waste treatment plant, water
supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility and other
discarded material including solid, liquid, semisolid, or contained
gaseous material resulting from industrial, commercial, mining, and
agricultural operations and from community activities, but does not
include solid or dissolved material in domestic sewage, or solid or
dissolved materials in irrigation return flows or industrial
discharges which are point-sources subject to permits under Section
402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (86 Stat.
880), or source, special nuclear, or byproduct material as defined
by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (68 Stat. 923)."

4.1.2 The types and quantities of solid wastes generated will vary geographically and seasonally. Military installations often have unique activities that generate wastes not found in ordinary municipal wastes. Furthermore, populations at military installations do not follow a normal growth pattern because the growth is controlled by mission requirements. Consequently, determining accurate annual waste generation rates would require a survey at the installation in question.

4.1.3 A knowledge of the quantities and characteristics of solid wastes. to be disposed of is important since these factors affect:

1. method and frequency of pickup

2. viability of transfer stations

3. method of disposal to be selected (e.g., incineration, landfilling, etc.)

4.

5.

size and/or throughput capacity of the disposal facility required

environmental impacts at the disposal location (e.g., types of
potential air or water pollutants)

6. viability of Resource Recovery and Recycling Programs (RRRP)

7. potential for waste reduction/minimization.

4.1.4 Solid waste types and quantities generated for a military installation can best be determined by means of a field survey. If resources are unavailable to conduct such a survey, estimates can be made based on existing solid waste generation data for other similar installations.

4.1.5 Solid Waste Types. The types of solid waste that can be expected to be generated at various naval installation sources are presented in Table 4-1A. Although the information is dated, it illustrates the variability in waste composition that can be expected depending on the primary function of an installation. Solid waste composition and quantities that can be expected from various sources are presented in Tables 4-1B and 4-1C.

4.1.5.1 Figure 4-1A compares one Navy survey with a State of Washington survey. The difference in composition is significant. Figure 4-1B breaks down the Washington data by classification of generator as either (1) residential, (2) manufacturing, or (3) commercial/institutional. Again, significant differences are apparent.

4.1.5.2 The figures presented are not meant to be used as design figures for any particular installation. The important point of the information is that both composition and quantity of solid waste will vary signficantly depending on the location and the function of the military installation. From an historical standpoint two trends were noticed: (1) total generation rates increased over time and (2) the composition is moving toward more plastics in all streams.

4.1.6 Waste Quantities. Table 4-1B shows reported average per capita solid waste generation rates for military installations as a whole. The table also compares military versus civilian generation rates.

4.1.6.1 The variability of the data in Tables 4-1B and 1C infers that accurate numbers can be determined only by conducting several surveys at the site in question. A quick method would be to check delivery records at the final disposal site. More accurate methods are discussed in Appendix F.

4.1.6.2 For military installations in general, waste generators can

be conveniently categorized into 11 groups.