Hazardous wastes are a special category of waste material that is harmful to humans or ecosystems. Much of this waste is composed of byproducts from industrial processes. Hazardous wastes must be handled and treated separately from the MSW stream. There are a number of legislative acts that specifically address hazardous waste. Sometimes hazardous waste is disposed of in other countries, resulting in international consequences to the safe handling and treatment of hazardous waste.
Module 54 AP® Review Questions
1. Hazardous waste
costs much more to recycle than regular waste.
is primarily generated by individuals and small businesses.
should be disposed of in landfills separately from MSW.
includes many household items such as certain paints and oil.
cannot be treated to make safe.
2. Which legislation calls for listing hazardous waste to use in cradle-
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments
Superfund Act
National Priorities Act
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3. The Brownfields Program
includes hazardous locations with the highest risk to public health.
attempts to prevent pollution in sites near agricultural lands.
is managed primarily by state and local governments.
has made significant progress in cleaning the 450,000 identified sites.
includes fines and legal consequences for polluters who do not contribute to cleaning.
4. Why might hazardous waste disposal in the United States be an international issue?
The lower costs of disposal elsewhere means municipalities and industries sometimes export waste.
Air pollution from waste treatment often crosses international boundaries.
The United States continues to dump its hazardous waste into oceans.
The United States produces the majority of the world’s hazardous waste.
The majority of electronic waste is processed in the United States.