Final answer:
The term for the amount of resources a society uses and discards is 'throughput.' It encompasses the full spectrum of waste generated, including municipal solid waste. As populations grow, the challenges associated with managing this waste and the environmental impact of throughput intensify.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amount of resources a society uses and discards is known as throughput. Throughput pertains to the flow of resources from extraction, through economic systems, to pollution and waste. As society grows, our throughput increases, leading to more solid waste such as municipal solid waste (MSW), which includes everyday items like packaging, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries.
These issues become more pronounced in urban areas where there's high concentration of population and consumption. Waste management is essential because improper disposal can lead to environmental degradation, including habitat destruction and increased pollution. Moreover, population growth predicts that waste production and the need for resources will only escalate, posing significant challenges for sustainability and waste management.