Deck 21: Solid, Toxic, and Hazardous Waste

Question 1

Ocean dumping

A) has been self-regulated by industry and is no longer a problem.
B) is a minor problem because the beaches are regularly cleaned.
C) is still a problem with cruise ships but not with the fishing industry.
D) kills tens of thousands of fur seals each year.

Answer 1

kills tens of thousands of fur seals each year.

Question 2

Demanufacturing refers to a process by which

A) consumer appliances and computers are dismantled and valuable materials are recovered.
B) consumers are simplifying their lives and purchasing less stuff.
C) products are reused over and over rather than being remanufactured from recycled materials.

Answer 2

consumer appliances and computers are dismantled and valuable materials are recovered.

Question 3

The per-ton cost of waste disposal is projected to continue to rise as fewer acceptable sites for waste disposal become available.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Household wastes that properly can be flushed down the drain or toilet include all of the following except

A) ammonia.
B) disinfectants.
C) window cleaner.
D) herbicides.

Question 5

In the United States, about two-thirds of a ton of waste are generated for each person (including children). Compared to the United States, Japan and Europe generate about half that amount. One of the factors that probably does NOT contribute to this difference is

A) The U.S. collection and dumping processes mix and crush everything together so separation is not possible
B) The fact that Japan is an island with limited space
C) The high rate of recycling in Japan
D) That people in the United States have a higher standard of living than Japan and Europe
E) All of these probably contribute to the difference in the waste stream

Question 6

For each pound of waste produced by a person in Europe or Japan, on average, _________ is produced in the U.S.

A) half a pound
B) one pound
C) two pounds
D) six pounds

Question 7

In recent decades, unregulated open dumps have ____________ in developing countries.

A) Nearly disappeared
B) Mostly become regulated
C) Remained the primary disposal method
D) Been replaced by incineration and methane generation
E) Been replaced by sanitary landfills

Question 8

The largest share of U.S. waste is

A) agriculture.
B) industrial.
C) mining.
D) municipal.

Question 9

Use of microbes and other life forms to remove toxic contaminants from soil and ground water

A) does not seem able to fulfill its early promise.
B) works but is less cost-effective than other approaches.
C) offers considerable promise for cleaning up contaminated material.
D) is the only fully risk-free method of decontamination devised so far.

Question 10

The most preferable approach to municipal waste management, by far, is

A) recycling.
B) reduction of production.
C) reuse.

Question 11

About 80 percent of E-waste is shipped overseas

A) primarily to China.
B) where unprotected workers break it apart to retrieve valuable materials.
C) as a result of a treaty that allows countries to send such waste to other countries that might benefit from the source of materials.
D) primarily to China where unprotected workers break it apart to retrieve valuable materials.

Question 12

________ is/are readily recyclable.

A) Styrofoam
B) All types of plastic
C) Glass
D) Rubber

Question 13

Unfortunately, much of excess packaging does not serve to protect the product but is a marketing tool instead.

Question 14

Open dumping is a waste disposal method that is

A) predominant in most developing countries.
B) common in most developed countries.
C) never implemented because of associated risks of groundwater pollution.

Question 15

Production of new products from recycled materials instead of virgin materials requires significantly less energy.

Question 16

Organic debris such as yard waste

A) can be composted to produce nutrient-rich soil amendments.
B) can be recycled, but only in the home.
C) is usually incinerated.

Question 17

Brownfields are

A) properties contaminated with hazardous materials that are abandoned or not being fully used.
B) areas in which herbicides have accumulated in the soil such that normal plant growth is inhibited.
C) urban lands slated to become waste processing facilities.
D) lands that, because of geologic features, are best suited to host industries associated with handling hazardous materials.

Question 18

Motor oil can be toxic at concentrations of only 1 part per million, which means that __________ of fresh water.

A) 1 quart of oil can pollute 1 million gallons
B) 1 liter of oil can pollute 4 million liters
C) 1 barrel of oil can pollute 1 million gallons
D) 1 quart of oil can pollute 1 million quarts
E) 1 liter of oil can pollute 1 billion liters

Question 19

Ash produced by solid waste incinerators typically contains a higher concentration of toxic material than unburned garbage.

Question 20

Recycling is a growing industry, which shows that business growth can be an integral component of the solutions to environmental problems.

Question 21

"Waste stream" is a term describing the

A) Steady production of all waste products that humans produce
B) Process of eliminating domestic and commercial waste
C) Production of solid waste, specifically
D) Intermittent production of particular wastes
E) Production of liquid waste, specifically

Question 22

Refuse-derived fuel has _______ energy content than raw refuse, but requires energy ________ before burning.

A) A higher; enrichment
B) A lower; enrichment
C) About the same; enrichment
D) A higher; to sort
E) A lower; to sort

Question 23

The main method for disposing of municipal wastes in the United States is ________, while ________ is the main method in Japan.

A) Incineration; recycling
B) Recycling; landfilling
C) Landfilling; recycling
D) Landfilling; incineration
E) Recycling; incineration

Question 24

Toxic landfills are frequently located in ________ areas.

A) Wilderness
B) Urban
C) Rural
D) Nonpopulated
E) Suburban

Question 25

Using a refillable beverage container (returnable bottles) would be an example of __________ materials.

A) Reusing
B) Recycling
C) Reducing
D) Redefining
E) None of these is correct

Question 26

Landfills differ from open dumps in that

A) Landfills are smaller
B) Dumps are cleaner and smell less
C) Landfilled waste is compacted and covered
D) Landfills are cheaper to operate
E) Landfills and dumps are the same thing

Question 27

One of the sources of dangerous heavy metal emissions is from incinerating

A) Plastics
B) Bleached paper containing chlorine
C) Residue from household cleaning products
D) Aluminum foil
E) Batteries

Question 28

In the case of sanitary landfills, the cost of disposing of wastes is _____ as technology provides safer alternatives.

A) Slowly increasing
B) Slowly decreasing
C) Staying relatively stable
D) Sharply increasing
E) Sharply decreasing

Question 29

Energy recovery is another term for _______ waste.

A) Recycling
B) Burning
C) Preventing the production of
D) Cogeneration of the
E) A combination of recycling, burning, and preventing the production of

Question 30

Composting is a waste disposal method that

A) Is useful only for single households
B) Is technologically complex
C) Vastly reduces total waste volumes
D) Is more environmentally costly than landfilling
E) Is not realistic for college students

Question 31

Recycling, in terms of solid waste management, means

A) Reusing materials
B) Melting or shredding to make new products
C) Keeping intact but putting to a new use
D) Using less of the material in production of a product
E) All of these

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT a major toxic pollutant produced by incinerators?

A) Dioxins
B) Lead
C) Cadmium
D) Aromatic hydrocarbons
E) All of these are produced by incinerators

Question 33

Refuse-derived fuel differs from normal garbage in that it

A) Has agricultural wastes
B) Has coal added
C) Is unsorted
D) Is selectively collected
E) Is sorted

Question 34

Choosing the site of a landfill depends on

A) Local topography and drainage patterns
B) Proximity to aquifer recharge zones
C) Neighborhood and community attitudes
D) Permeability of underlying rock formations
E) All of these

Question 35

Individual efforts to reduce the volume of the waste stream

A) Have enormous cumulative effects
B) Are fairly useful because it demonstrates to corporations that we care
C) Have some effects, but we need to target industries to reduce their waste stream instead
D) Have little effect, but make people feel better
E) Matter very little

Question 36

The "Great Pacific Garbage Patch"

A) Contains 90% Chinese waste
B) Is an area of floating garbage roughly twice the size of Texas
C) Is an area where ships dump their waste
D) Has impacted shipping routes
E) Is slowly decreasing in size

Question 37

If less-developed countries can make money while more-developed countries can rid themselves of waste, why would opponents be against exporting wastes to developing countries?

A) Local people in the developing country probably do not know what is in the waste
B) People in the developing country may not have the resources to test for toxic materials in the waste
C) The practice can involve corrupt government officials who allow the wastes to be dumped illegally
D) The waste that is being exported contains unwanted materials or it would not be exported
E) All of these are reasons why opponents are against exporting wastes to developing countries

Question 38

A mass burn is the incineration of

A) Agricultural waste
B) Unsorted garbage
C) Hazardous substances
D) Large household pieces like furniture
E) Sorted garbage

Question 39

Recycling aluminum is most important for

A) Saving raw materials (the ore)
B) Saving energy
C) Saving landfill space
D) Reducing pollutants in the air and water
E) All of these

Question 40

Many states, countries, and corporations dispose of their waste overseas because it is

A) More convenient
B) The safest method
C) Extremely cheap
D) The only possible method
E) The best way environmentally

Question 41

Biodegradable plastics may incorporate _______ to speed breakdown processes.

A) Special types of hydrocarbons
B) Weak structural components
C) Cornstarch
D) Water
E) Microscopic tears in the plastic

Question 42

Secure landfills are those that

A) Have no groundwater below them
B) Accept no toxic substances
C) Are built like a bathtub with a lid
D) Are sealed entirely with durable plastic
E) Are sealed entirely with concrete

Question 43

Chemical processing is a way of __________ hazardous waste for safe disposal.

A) Reducing the volume of
B) Neutralizing
C) Incinerating
D) Filtering and precipitating
E) Acidifying

Question 44

According to the Household Disposal Guide, what is the best way to dispose of antifreeze?

A) Dispose of empty in the trash
B) Save and bring to a hazardous waste collection site
C) Flush with plenty of water in the drain
D) Flush with plenty of water in the toilet
E) Recycle

Question 45

Demanufacturing is the disassembly of manufactured homes and is to reducing the waste stream.

Question 46

Secure landfills are usually sealed with

A) Clay
B) Sand
C) Dirt
D) Gravel
E) Stones

Question 47

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) regulates cleanup of Superfund designated hazardous waste sites and the siting, construction, and operation of hazardous waste sites.

Question 48

The questions of ____ and _________ are among the biggest problems in cleaning up hazardous waste sites.

A) Liability; degree of purity required
B) Appropriate technology; location
C) Appropriate technology; liability
D) Degree of purity required; appropriate technology
E) Location; cost

Question 49

According to the Household Disposal Guide, which of the following materials should never be disposed of in a drain or toilet?

A) Permanent wave lotion
B) Hair relaxer
C) Solvent-containing products
D) Bleach
E) None of these should be disposed of in the drain or toilet

Question 50

Biological treatment of hazardous waste may involve ___________ hazardous substances.

A) Using bacteria and plants to absorb and detoxify
B) The genetic alteration of species suffering from
C) Using microorganisms to disperse
D) Special organic chemical processing of
E) None of these is correct

Question 51

Hazardous waste is anything that

A) Causes human health threats
B) Severely contaminates the environment
C) Is toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, corrosive, or explosive
D) Has the potential of causing health problems
E) All of these are correct

Question 52

Incinerator ash is commonly contaminated with highly concentrated toxic substances.

Question 53

A brownfield is

A) The area and property extending 200 meters around a landfill
B) A contaminated property that is not used to its full potential because of real or suspected contamination
C) A property contaminated by a sewage treatment plant
D) A property that was formerly contaminated and is now safe enough to be used for housing developments
E) A property within city limits that is used heavily but may be contaminated

Question 54

Photodegradable plastics break down

A) When exposed to heat
B) By releasing photons
C) As they age
D) When exposed to pressure
E) When exposed to sunlight

Question 55

The cheapest option of the "three Rs" is most often

A) Recycle
B) Reuse
C) Release
D) Redefine
E) Reduce

Question 56

The National Priority List is a list of sites that

A) We currently have money to deal with.
B) Deserve research for possible cleanup.
C) Will probably never be cleaned up.
D) Seriously require cleanup to prevent further environmental and health damage.
E) Are especially vulnerable to hazardous wastes (e.g., aquifer recharge zones) and are not available for future building permits.

Question 57

Which of the following represents the "three Rs" of waste disposal in the descending order of energy expenditure?

A) Reuse, reduce, recycle
B) Reduce, recycle, reuse
C) Recycle, reuse, reduce
D) Reuse, recycle, reduce
E) Recycle, reduce, reuse

Question 58

According to the Household Disposal Guide, what is the best way to dispose of your aerosol cans (hairspray, bug spray, furniture polish, etc.)?

A) Dispose of empty cans in the trash
B) Save and bring to a hazardous waste collection site
C) Flush with plenty of water in the drain
D) Flush with plenty of water in the toilet
E) Recycle

Question 59

Contamination in the Love Canal was from a(n)

A) Active petrochemical plant
B) Major toxic waste disposal firm
C) Long-abandoned city and chemical factory dump
D) Neighboring county whose groundwater seeped into the canal
E) Sanitary landfill

Question 60

In order to find specific information about toxic materials in your neighborhood, you would consult the

A) National Priority List
B) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
C) Maximum Contamination Levels (MCLs)
D) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
E) Toxic Release Inventory

Question 61

Evaluate the use of dumps, sanitary landfills, and modern secure landfills in disposing of waste. In your evaluation provide the pros and cons and the context for which each disposal method would best work.

Question 62

Explain how incinerator ash can become toxic when the initial material that is incinerated is not toxic.

Question 63

A site for a children's playground and an industrial site have different criteria for cleanup.

Question 64

The original pool of money available for Superfund cleanup projects was financed by taxes on the producers of toxic and hazardous wastes. Now, public taxes are the major sources.