Case Study > Drink Up for the Environment

• Advocate - a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person, cause, etc.

• Bottom liner system - separates trash and subsequent leachate from groundwater

• Cells - where the trash is stored within the landfill

• Compost Pile - the purpose is to bury trash in such a way that it will decompose quickly

• Dump - an open hole in the ground where trash is buried and that has various animals (rats, mice, birds) swarming around. (This is most people's idea of a landfill!)

• Environmental Impact Study – determines the area of land needed for a landfill, composition of soil and bedrock, flow of surface water, and impact of a landfill on the environment and wildlife

• Landfill - carefully designed structure built into or on top of the ground in which trash is isolated from the surrounding environment (groundwater, air, rain). This isolation is accomplished with a bottom liner and daily covering of soil.

• Leachate - collects water that has percolated through the landfill itself and contains contaminating substances

• Methane - methane gas that is formed during the breakdown of trash

• Municipal solid waste landfill - uses a synthetic (plastic) liner to isolate the trash from the environment

• Sanitary landfill - landfill that uses a clay liner to isolate the trash from the environment

• Solid Waste – another term for “trash”