Question 1

In the United States about two-thirds of a ton of waste is 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 United States 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.

Accepted Answer

While a higher standard of living may lead to increased consumption, this alone does not explain the large difference in waste generation between the United States and Japan/Europe. The other options are more likely factors contributing to the difference.

Question 2

Which of the following actions would probably not encourage efficiency and recycling programs?
A) discontinue energy and water subsidies to industries when they are processing raw materials.
B) discontinue subsidies that favor the extraction of raw materials.
C) consumers asking for and buying products made from recycled products.
D) charging a surcharge on materials when purchased that is redeemable when the consumer recycles the product.
E) discontinue subsidies that favor the extraction of raw materials and consumers asking for and buying products made from recycled products are correct because industries do not receive water and energy subsidies.

Accepted Answer

D

Question 3

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D) been replaced by incineration and methane generation
E) been replaced by sanitary landfills

Accepted Answer

Unregulated open dumps have remained the primary disposal method in developing countries, as there may be limited resources for implementing sustainable waste management practices such as incineration, methane generation, or sanitary landfills.

Question 4

Up to one-third of all commercial and industrial sites in the urban core of many big cities fall in this category.
A) E-waste
B) Open Dumps
C) Landfills
D) Brownfields
E) Redfields

Accepted Answer

Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underutilized industrial or commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment is hindered by actual or perceived environmental contamination. Many big cities have up to one-third of these sites in their urban cores.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of The main method for disposing of municipal...

Question 6

This process involves using plants to absorb and accumulate toxic material. Once contaminants are absorbed into plants, the plants themselves are usually toxic and must be landfilled. The cost of this process can be less than half the cost of landfilling or treating toxic soil.
A) Detoxification
B) Phytoremediation
C) Composting
D) Bioremediation
E) Fertilizing

Accepted Answer

The process described is phytoremediation, which uses plants to absorb and accumulate toxins from soil or water. While the plants themselves can become toxic and must be disposed of, the overall cost of phytoremediation is often less than other methods such as landfilling or treating toxic soil.

Question 7

A steady for of varied wastes that we all produce, from domestic garbage and yard waste to industrial, commercial, and construction refuse.
A) Postconsumer Waste
B) Hazardous Waste
C) Solid Waste
D) Preconsumer Waste
E) Waste Stream

Accepted Answer

The term "Waste Stream" refers to the continuous flow of varied wastes produced by households, industries, and other sources.

Question 8

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.

Accepted Answer

Composting is a method that can vastly reduce total waste volumes by converting organic waste into nutrient-rich soil. It can be used by households, but also in larger-scale operations such as farms and even some cities. While it does require some knowledge and effort, it is not necessarily technologically complex. In terms of environmental impact, composting is generally considered less costly than landfilling as it reduces methane emissions and the need for chemical fertilizers. While college students may face some limitations in terms of space and resources, composting is still a realistic waste disposal option for some.

Question 9

The most often overlooked of the "three Rs" is
A) recycle.
B) reuse.
C) release.
D) redefine.
E) reduce.

Accepted Answer

"Reduce" is often overlooked because people tend to focus more on recycling and reusing, but reducing the amount of waste we generate in the first place is the most effective way to minimize our impact on the environment.

Question 10

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.

Accepted Answer

Landfills are designed with multiple layers of liners and barriers, and compacted waste is covered with soil daily to reduce odor and prevent contamination of the surrounding environment. Open dumps, on the other hand, are simply piles of waste with no containment measures, leading to pollution of soil, air, and water.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

The cost of disposing of wastes in sanitary landfills is sharply increasing due to the implementation of more stringent environmental regulations and the need for advanced technology to ensure safer disposal methods. These factors contribute to higher operational and maintenance costs.

Question 12

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.

Accepted Answer

Individual efforts may seem small, but when added up, they can have a significant impact on reducing the volume of the waste stream. This can lead to better environmental outcomes and sustainability.

Question 13

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.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recycling, in terms of solid waste management,...

Question 14

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 are correct.

Accepted Answer

Recycling aluminum is important for all of these reasons. By recycling aluminum, we save raw materials, energy, landfill space, and reduce pollutants in the air and water. Recycling aluminum takes 95% less energy than producing new aluminum from raw materials, and aluminum can be infinitely recycled without losing its quality. This makes aluminum recycling an environmentally beneficial practice.

Question 15

Using a refillable beverage container (returnable bottles) would be an example of __________ materials.
A) reusing
B) recycling
C) reducing
D) redefining

Accepted Answer

Refillable beverage containers involve reusing because the same container is used multiple times instead of being disposed of after one use.

Question 16

"Waste stream" is a term describing
A) the steady production of all waste products that humans produce.
B) the process of eliminating domestic and commercial waste.
C) the production of solid waste, specifically.
D) the intermittent production of particular wastes.
E) the production of liquid waste, specifically.

Accepted Answer

The term "waste stream" refers to the continuous and steady production of all waste products that humans produce, which includes solid, liquid, and hazardous waste. It encompasses all the waste generated from residential, commercial, and industrial activities.

Question 17

CERCLA legislation
A) established the NPL.
B) requires the testing of the toxicity of substances.
C) requires brownfields to be developed.
D) requires the EPA to clean up toxic waste sites.

Accepted Answer

The answer of CERCLA legislation
A) established the NPL.
B) requires the...

Question 18

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.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hazardous waste is anything that
A) causes human...

Question 19

All of the following are examples of how to process or permanently store the hazardous waste we generate, except
A) Incineration
B) Brownfield Sites
C) Chemical Processing
D) Permanent Retrievable Storage
E) Secure Landfills

Accepted Answer

Brownfield sites typically refer to contaminated areas that can be restored to their original state through remediation efforts. While this may involve removing or managing hazardous waste, it is not a method of processing or permanently storing it. The other options listed all involve methods of disposing of hazardous waste.

Question 20

Urban curbside recycling costs cities
A) a great deal, but citizens approve the expense anyway.
B) nothing at all because the materials pay for expenses.
C) more than any other disposal method.
D) far less than landfilling or incinerating.
E) nothing, in fact, all cities make money with recycling.

Accepted Answer

Urban curbside recycling costs cities far less than landfilling or incinerating. While there are costs associated with collecting, sorting, and processing recyclable materials, these expenses are often offset by the revenue generated from selling the materials to manufacturers that use them to make new products. Additionally, recycling reduces the amount of waste that must be landfilled or incinerated, which can save cities significant amounts of money in the long run.

Quiz 14: Solid and Hazardous Waste

In the United States about two-thirds of a ton of waste is 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

Which of the following actions would probably not encourage efficiency and recycling programs?

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

Up to one-third of all commercial and industrial sites in the urban core of many big cities fall in this category.

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

This process involves using plants to absorb and accumulate toxic material. Once contaminants are absorbed into plants, the plants themselves are usually toxic and must be landfilled. The cost of this process can be less than half the cost of landfilling or treating toxic soil.

A steady for of varied wastes that we all produce, from domestic garbage and yard waste to industrial, commercial, and construction refuse.

Composting is a waste disposal method that

The most often overlooked of the "three Rs" is

Landfills differ from open dumps in that

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

Individual efforts to reduce the volume of the waste stream

Recycling, in terms of solid waste management, means

Recycling aluminum is most important for

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

"Waste stream" is a term describing

CERCLA legislation

Hazardous waste is anything that

All of the following are examples of how to process or permanently store the hazardous waste we generate, except

Urban curbside recycling costs cities