Deck 16: Solid and Hazardous Waste

Question 1

When solid waste is incinerated,

A)microorganisms completely dispose of fly ash.
B)methane gas is produced that can generate electricity.
C)the volume of solid waste is reduced by up to 90%.
D)large amounts of coal are needed to keep the fires burning.
E)glass is put in first to melt and provide residual heat for remaining solid waste incineration.

Answer 1

the volume of solid waste is reduced by up to 90%.

Question 2

What concern does methane gas production create for the operation of a sanitary landfill

A)may take up space in the landfill that could be better used for solid waste
B)may delay the decomposition of biodegradable garbage
C)may collect in tanks for use in generating electricity
D)may accumulate in underground pockets,creating the possibility of an explosion
E)may seep through cracks in lining of landfill contaminating groundwater

Answer 2

may accumulate in underground pockets,creating the possibility of an explosion

Question 3

The term for crushed glass containers destined to be melted and reused to manufacture new products is ___.

A)scrap
B)dioxin
C)leachate
D)slag
E)cullet

Answer 3

cullet

Question 4

Which of the following is incorrectly matched

A)municipal solid waste : school rubbish
B)municipal solid waste : library trash
C)municipal solid waste : agricultural wastes
D)nonmunicipal solid waste : mining debris
E)nonmunicipal solid waste : industries refuse

Question 5

Solid materials discarded by homes,offices,stores,restaurants,schools,hospitals,prisons,libraries,and other commercial institutional facilities are considered

A)integrated stable waste.
B)nonmunicipal solid waste.
C)municipal solid waste.
D)unrecyclable waste.
E)hazardous waste.

Question 6

The bulk of solid waste generated in the U.S.is

A)nonmunicipal solid waste.
B)municipal solid waste.
C)food waste.
D)green waste.
E)recycled plastic bottles.

Question 7

Which of the following descriptions is incorrectly matched with the type of incinerator

A)modular incinerators : most expensive type of incinerator to build
B)mass burn incinerators : able to recover energy from combustion
C)modular incinerator : completely burns all solid waste
D)refuse-derived fuel incinerator : separate noncombustible wastes from combustible wastes
E)mass burn incinerators : larger than modular incinerators

Question 8

How can source reduction be used by the auto industry apply in the manufacturing of automobiles

A)safety features of the car improved for increased durability of the product
B)technological improvements could decrease the size and weight of the car
C)recycled plastics and rubbers used for bumper construction
D)steel scrap could replace iron ore in the manufacturing process
E)all of these choices

Question 9

Fifty-four percent of the municipal solid waste generated in the U.S.today is disposed of

A)by storage in underground metal drums.
B)by exportation to developing countries.
C)in sanitary landfills.
D)in open dumps.
E)by composting.

Question 10

The volume of solid waste generated can be dramatically decreased through

A)source reduction.
B)sanitary landfills.
C)incineration.
D)leachate treatment.
E)the Superfund Act.

Question 11

What is an economic benefit of recycling

A)use of energy and generation of pollution for curbside collection
B)increase use of sanitary landfill
C)generates jobs and revenues from selling of recycled products
D)use of natural resources in reprocessing materials
E)recycling has no economic benefit

Question 12

Integrated waste management refers to

A)dilution and dispersal of chemicals.
B)use of federal lands for hazardous waste disposal.
C)a combination of source reduction,reuse,recycling,composting.Landfills and incineration.
D)uniting municipal and nonmunicipal waste management programs.
E)using incineration as a single technique for waste disposal.

Question 13

Today's solid waste contains more ___ than in the past,whereas the amounts of glass and steel have declined.

A)paper and plastics
B)food wastes
C)yard wastes
D)copper and aluminum
E)rubber and wood

Question 14

All of the following are problems associated with incineration except

A)air pollution containing mercury.
B)contamination of groundwater with heavy metals and pesticides.
C)large quantities of ash,which must be disposed of properly.
D)NIMBY site selection.
E)expensive to operate.

Question 15

Plastics pose a special problem for sanitary landfills because 1.plastics are the most rapidly accumulated component of municipal solid waste.
2)plastics attract harmful microorganisms and bacteria to the landfill.
3)plastics move upward to the surface creating a fire hazard.
4)most plastics are chemically stable and do not readily decompose.

A)1 only
B)2 only
C)3 only
D)4 only
E)1 and 4

Question 16

An example of source reduction is

A)removal of dioxin chemical compounds from medical wastes.
B)separating wastes prior to recycling.
C)de-inking newsprint for reuse of the paper.
D)making aluminum cans 35% lighter today than in 1970.
E)use of microorganisms to treat contaminated soil.

Question 17

Due to high moisture content or toxicity it is best to remove all of the following materials from solid waste before incineration occurs except

A)batteries.
B)food wastes.
C)fluorescent lights.
D)refrigerators.
E)plastics.

Question 18

All of the following are problems associated with sanitary landfills except

A)large quantities of potentially toxic fly ash.
B)landfills fill up too quickly so it is not a long-term solution to waste disposal.
C)leachate seeps through lining of landfills and contaminates groundwater.
D)methane gas accumulations create the possibility of explosions.
E)toxic chemicals such as heavy metals and pesticides are found in the leachate.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of composting

A)creating mulch from yard wastes and food scraps
B)using animal dung as a fuel source
C)recycling steel to replace dependence on iron ore
D)purchasing products that have less packaging
E)using less toxic materials to build products

Question 20

Dematerialization,the progressive decrease in the size and weight of a product,with a lifespan comparable to previous products,is an example of ___.

A)stimulus marketing
B)shrinking economy
C)source reduction
D)the waste reduction Act
E)consumer extortion

Question 21

What is the definition of a hazardous waste

A)any gaseous waste generated from mining
B)any solid waste that is dangerously bulky
C)plastics that are non-biodegradable
D)a discarded chemical that threatens human health or the environment
E)a harmful liquid that forms from seeping through compost

Question 22

Hazardous waste accounts for approximately ___ of the total solid waste stream in the U.S.

A)1%
B)10%
C)25%
D)50%
E)99.9%

Question 23

Integrated Waste Management is a set of waste disposal alternatives that include all of the following except

A)incineration.
B)composting.
C)sanitary landfill.
D)relocation of waste to developing nations.
E)reuse.

Question 24

Which of the following is an example of a hazardous waste

A)metals
B)old tires
C)organic matter
D)organic solvents
E)compost

Question 25

Distinguish between municipal and nonmunicipal solid waste.

Question 26

What is one difference between the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)and the Comprehensive Environmental Response,Compensation,and Liability Act (the Superfund Act)

A)RCRA legislates nonmunicipal solid waste sites; the Superfund Act legislates municipal solid waste sites
B)RCRA holds polluters accountable for the cost of the cleanup; the Superfund Act does not
C)RCRA manages hazardous wastes being produced now; the Superfund Act cleans up abandoned or inactive hazardous waste sites
D)RCRA cleans up abandoned or inactive hazardous waste sites; the Superfund Act manages hazardous wastes being produced now
E)There is no difference between RCRA and the Superfund Act

Question 27

What is green chemistry

A)the microbial transformation of organic wastes into soil conditioners
B)examining of the role of toxic substances in causing diseases and illnesses
C)the application of the tools and concepts of chemistry to living systems
D)the study of organic and inorganic compounds
E)a subdiscipline of chemistry in which commercially important chemical processes are redesigned to reduce environmental harm

Question 28

Why must a sanitary landfill always be included in any integrated waste management plan

A)for the disposal of hazardous wastes
B)to generate waste-to-energy
C)for dematerialization
D)because not all waste generated can be burned,composted,reused or recycled
E)a sanitary landfill does not have to be included in an integrated waste management plan

Question 29

What is the Superfund National Priorities List

A)the federal inventory of green chemistry locations
B)the existing hazardous waste sites that pose the greatest threat to public health
C)federally approved locations for the long-term storage of toxic chemicals
D)current policy on how to handle chemical accidents
E)a list of bodies of water in the U.S.that have not been polluted

Question 30

Is the existence of CERCLA a deterrent to further hazardous waste polluting by companies WHY

A)yes,because polluting companies are aware of the costs of liability and cleanup,which makes them more likely to properly dispose of hazardous wastes
B)yes,because of the fast pace and low costs of cleaning up the Superfund sites polluting companies are placed on federal watch lists
C)no,because companies responsible for polluting are not held accountable for the costs of liability and cleanup
D)no,because the law applies to past practices and not current practices
E)no,because most of the hazardous waste sites are on military bases

Question 31

Which of the following forms of hazardous waste is incorrectly paired with its source

A)dioxins - combustion of chlorine compounds
B)lead - computer components
C)polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)- household trash
D)mercury - emissions produced from combustion of fluorescent lights and batteries
E)fly ash - mass burn incinerator

Question 32

Which of the following statements is false

A)Leachate is a liquid that seeps from solid waste in sanitary landfills.
B)Hazardous waste is any substance that threatens human health or the environment.
C)If we reduce the municipal solid waste stream to near zero,there will be no need for sanitary landfills.
D)Mining is the largest producer of solid waste in the U.S.
E)Green chemistry focuses on source reduction for commercial chemical processes.

Question 33

Chemical byproducts formed during the combustion of chlorine compounds are

A)radioactive substances.
B)infectious wastes.
C)heavy metals.
D)dioxins.
E)polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Question 34

What are dioxins and PBCs
How are they produced and what harm do they cause

Question 35

A group of 209 industrial chemicals composed of C,H,and Cl manufactured for cooling fluids,hydraulic fluids,lubricants,inks,and pesticide extenders are known as

A)petroleum oils.
B)inorganic solvents.
C)heavy metals.
D)dioxins.
E)polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Question 36

In 2010,the Deepwater Horizon oil spill sent millions of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.To keep the oil slick from polluting the fragile ecosystem of the Gulf coast,detergents and chemical dispersants were applied to the water's surface.The detergents were nutrient rich,being high in phosphorous and nitrogen compounds,and thus acted as fertilizer causing environmental damage on their own.Define green chemistry and consider how this subdiscipline of chemistry might help with the cleanup of the oil spill

Question 37

Which of the following is an example of green chemistry

A)use bacteria to treat contaminated soil
B)use plants to absorb and accumulate toxic materials from the soil
C)develop a water-based solvent to substitute for a chlorinated solvent for industrial cleaning
D)use high-temperature incineration to detoxify pesticides
E)prevent chemical accidents through the principle of inherent safety

Question 38

What factors should be considered when constructing an "ideal" modern sanitary landfill.Include in your answer at least three safety measures.

Question 39

In 1977,Love Canal,a small neighborhood near Niagara Falls became synonymous with

A)genetically engineered microbes designed to decompose PCBs.
B)innovative recycling initiatives.
C)green chemistry.
D)not-in-my-backyard policy.
E)chemical pollution caused by negligent hazardous waste management.

Question 40

What is the goal of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,Compensation,and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Describe one strength and weakness of the Superfund program.