What is flow control?

Flow control refers to the regulatory measure that mandates the transport of waste to designated facilities. This practice is implemented by local or state governments to ensure that waste is properly managed and disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. By directing waste to specific facilities, authorities can maintain oversight over waste management practices, enforce compliance with regulations, and reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal. Flow control helps ensure that landfills and waste processing plants are operated efficiently, and promotes recycling and recovery efforts by guiding the proper stream of materials.

The other options describe different concepts within waste management but do not accurately reflect the definition of flow control. Free market management of waste does not involve regulatory mandates but rather allows for competitive market forces to dictate waste transport. Private agreements for waste management services refer to contracts made between waste generators and service providers, which can vary in nature and do not inherently involve designated waste transport. A financial assessment of waste management operations focuses on the economic evaluation of performance rather than regulatory control procedures.