Deck 2: Current Status of the Plastics Industry

Question 1

Automatic sorting systems detect the chemical makeup of material, such as the ____ systems that detect opacity.

A) single wavelength infrared (IR)
B) multiple wavelength IR
C) optical
D) X-ray

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Because residents often make mistakes in sorting plastic containers, many large communities accept ____.

A) PVC only
B) only HDPE plastics
C) only nonplastics
D) commingled materials

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The projections for plastics production by 2020 have been based on the growth of plastics in ____.

A) aeronautics
B) space travel
C) medical technology
D) the automotive industry

Answer 3

D

Question 4

What is an advantage of incineration?

A) it is environmentally friendly
B) it is very economical
C) it provides an 10% to 20% reduction in the volume of the solid waste
D) it does not require sorting of the solid wastes

Question 5

In recycling collection trucks, the greatest volume collected is ____

A) plastics
B) mixed paper
C) cardboard
D) aluminum cans

Question 6

This pie chart shows that ____ represents the highest percentage of production. 

A) low-density polyethylene
B) polyvinyl chloride
C) high-density polyethylene
D) polystyrene

Question 7

A steep drop in plastics production in 2008-2009 can be attributed to the ____.

A) World Trade Center bombing
B) financial crisis that started in 2008
C) wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
D) demand for crude oil

Question 8

Recycling is a term generally reserved for ____. 

A) reuse of waste materials generated during manufacturing
B) reprocessing of waste materials generated during manufacturing
C) postconsumer waste materials
D) incineration of waste materials

Question 9

The type of depolymerization that produces useful monomers is called ____.

A) pyrolysis
B) decomposition
C) hydrolysis
D) liquefaction

Question 10

Polymer materials that derive from renewable resources, such as corn rather than petroleum-based plastics are known as ____.

A) degradable plastics
B) bioplastics
C) biodegradable plastics
D) hydrolyzed plastics

Question 11

What is the process in which a blower system separates the fine pieces out that are too light to fall through a controlled updraft?

A) baling
B) elutriation
C) decanting
D) flotation

Question 12

One of the five states that enacted bottle deposit laws in the 1970s is ____.

A) Oregon
B) Pennsylvania
C) New York
D) Texas

Question 13

Why has there been so little success in bottle deposit laws?

A) consumers have been slow to recycle
B) major soft drink manufacturers oppose it
C) the federal government opposes it
D) there is great diversity in state laws concerning recycling

Question 14

In a materials recovery facility (MRF), the conveyor belts that move recycled materials past employees who sort them are called ____.

A) sorting lines
B) magnetic sorting features
C) picking lines
D) baling lines

Question 15

Historically, a problem with PET bottle recycling was related to the fact that ____.

A) the FDA did not allow recycled materials to be in contact with food
B) PET bottles has toxic materials
C) the FDA imposed steep inspection costs on recycled PET
D) PET bottles were an alloy of unknown substances

Question 16

Natural HDPE bottles are mostly ____.

A) clear bottles
B) opaque bottles suitable for bleach
C) juice containers
D) milk jugs

Question 17

This figure shows an early idea to remedy the problem of the FDA not allowing the use of ____ in food contact applications.

A) PVS
B) HDPE
C) plastics
D) recycled materials