Exam 7: Managing Solid Waste- a Plastic Surf: Are the Oceans Teeming With Trash- Ecology

Even though a banana peel is biodegradable and is typically broken down at rapid rates, if you bury the peel deep within a landfill, it takes much longer to degrade. Why is this?

Ecological concerns regarding plastics in oceans include which of the following?

What are the potential environmental consequences of disposing of waste via landfilling and incineration? What systems exist in each disposal method to try and prevent these potential problems?

It has been shown that a bottle deposit, a center for returning and recycling bottles and cans, significantly reduces the amount of plastic or glass bottles and aluminum cans that end up in a landfill. Not all states have a bottle deposit. What would be the benefits of having a bottle deposit in all states?

When e-waste is improperly recycled, toxic metals can be released; this can include _________.

Aquatic ecosystems are considered particularly vulnerable to plastic waste. Describe four ways that plastic waste can affect aquatic species and ecosystems.

One of the cheapest and most common methods of handling solid wastes in developing countries is _________.

What is the difference between degradable and biodegradable waste?

Which of the following materials should NOT be added to a compost pile?

Which of the following is NOT considered hazardous waste?

Infographic 7.8. -Refer to Infographic 7.8. What are the three required steps of recycling? Which step drives the entire process and is therefore most important?

Match the waste management method to its potential harm to ecosystems.

_______ is the process of allowing waste to biologically decompose in the presence of oxygen and water.

In the United States, 54% of all garbage is categorized as ___________ waste.

Often, humans use hazardous materials without even knowing that the products they are using are harmful. What are some products that qualify as household hazardous waste? What efforts do you think should be made to make people more aware of the products they are using and how they should be properly disposed of?

Incinerators reduce the volume of solid waste by about ______________.

Consumers can decrease the amount of landfilled solid waste by ___________.

Which of the following is NOT a way to personally reduce your solid waste production?

Many states in the United States have "take back laws" which require manufacturers to take back some of their products (such as computers) after the consumer has finished with it. How does this encourage companies to rethink their product design?

Matter cannot be created nor destroyed; it only changes form. This is the law of _________.