Question 1

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, transporting, and processing recycled materials, they are generally lower than the costs of disposing of waste in a landfill or incinerator. Additionally, recycling can generate revenue from the sale of recycled materials, further offsetting costs.

Question 2

Which of the following actions would probably 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) All of these are correct.
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

Discontinuing subsidies for raw material extraction and processing will make it more expensive for industries to do so, which may encourage them to find more efficient and sustainable alternatives. Additionally, if consumers demand recycled products and support companies that prioritize sustainability, industries will be more likely to adopt these practices to meet consumer demand.

Question 3

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 reduces total waste volumes as organic waste is broken down into nutrient-rich soil that can be used for gardening or agriculture. It is a simple, yet effective, method that can be done by households, businesses, and communities. It is also an environmentally sustainable way to dispose of waste as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps to conserve landfill space.

Question 4

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 5

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.
E) All of these probably contribute to the difference in the waste stream.

Accepted Answer

The higher standard of living in the United States does not directly contribute to the difference in waste generation compared to Japan and Europe. It may indirectly contribute to higher consumption and waste generation, but it is not the sole factor. A, B, and C are all possible factors that contribute to the difference in waste generation.

Question 6

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 are correct.

Accepted Answer

Refilling and reusing a beverage container instead of throwing it away after one use is an example of reusing materials.

Question 7

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 helps save raw materials (the ore) that are used to create new aluminum, as well as saving energy since it takes much less energy to recycle aluminum than to extract it from its ore. Additionally, recycling aluminum helps save landfill space and reduces pollutants in the air and water. Therefore, all of these options are correct.

Question 8

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 9

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 are correct.

Accepted Answer

Recycling involves processing materials, such as melting or shredding, to create new products, rather than simply reusing them or reducing their use.

Question 10

Toxic landfills are frequently located in ________ areas.
A) wilderness
B) urban
C) rural
D) nonpopulated
E) suburban

Accepted Answer

Toxic landfills are often located in urban areas where there is typically more industrial and commercial waste being produced. Additionally, marginalized communities and low-income areas are more likely to have toxic landfills located nearby, as they may not have the resources to fight against the placement of the landfill.

Question 11

Illegal dumping and storage of hazardous waste
A) continues to threaten public health.
B) has completely stopped since the Superfund Act.
C) has not stopped completely but is rare.
D) has become a problem mainly since the Superfund Act.
E) will always be present because people are not concerned about toxic wastes.

Accepted Answer

Illegal dumping and storage of hazardous waste continue to be a threat to public health. The Superfund Act was created in 1980 to address contaminated sites, but illegal dumping and storage of hazardous waste still occur. While the act has helped in the cleanup of many sites, there are still new cases of illegal dumping and storage of hazardous waste reported each year.

Question 12

"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 flow of all waste materials generated by human activities, including solids, liquids, and gases. Therefore, option A is the best choice as it describes the complete and ongoing production of all types of waste.

Question 13

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.

Accepted Answer

The National Priority List (also known as the Superfund) is a list of sites that require immediate and extensive cleanup to prevent further environmental and health damage. These sites are often contaminated with hazardous materials and pose a risk to nearby communities. The list is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is prioritized based on the severity of the contamination and the level of risk to public health and the environment.

Question 14

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

Even small individual efforts to reduce waste can have a significant impact when multiplied by millions of people. This includes actions like recycling, reducing plastic usage, and composting. The cumulative effect of individual actions can help to reduce the overall volume of the waste stream.

Question 15

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, despite efforts to introduce more environmentally-friendly methods of waste management.

Question 16

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 17

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

Accepted Answer

While all three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) are important, reducing consumption and waste in the first place is often overlooked in favor of simply recycling or reusing materials. However, reducing the amount of waste we produce is the most effective way to conserve resources and protect the environment.

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

Liability and the degree of purity required are major issues in cleaning up hazardous waste sites because determining who is responsible for the cleanup and to what extent the cleanup must be done are complex and critical considerations.

Question 19

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 differ from open dumps in that the waste is compacted and covered, which helps to reduce the risk of contamination and keeps the waste contained. Open dumps do not have any type of containment system and allow waste to be exposed to the environment, potentially leading to pollution and health hazards.

Question 20

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.
E) all of the these.

Accepted Answer

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

Quiz 14: Solid and Hazardous Waste

Urban curbside recycling costs cities

Which of the following actions would probably encourage efficiency and recycling programs?

Composting is a waste disposal method that

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

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

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

Recycling aluminum is most important for

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

Recycling, in terms of solid waste management, means

Toxic landfills are frequently located in ________ areas.

Illegal dumping and storage of hazardous waste

"Waste stream" is a term describing

The National Priority List is a list of sites that

Individual efforts to reduce the volume of the waste stream

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

Hazardous waste is anything that

The most often overlooked of the "three Rs" is

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

Landfills differ from open dumps in that

CERCLA legislation