Chapter 12: Review Questions

Question 1

383

1. How is the law of conservation of matter related to waste management?

  1. The two are unrelated; one is a law of theoretical physics, while the other is a practical problem.

  2. This law of physics tells us how to permanently dispose of waste.

  3. This law of physics reminds us that waste matter may change form but does not go away.

  4. This law of physics provides a guide for transforming one type of chemical element into another.

Question 2

2. Which of the following is “organic” waste, according to the World Bank?

  1. Garden waste

  2. Cardboard

  3. Plastic water bottles

  4. Newspaper

Question 3

3. Which is the largest source of hazardous waste in the United States?

  1. Pesticide manufacturing

  2. Petroleum product manufacturing

  3. Metal processing

  4. Basic chemical manufacturing

Question 4

4. Even though growth in global per capita waste production is slowing, why has growth in total waste production not slowed?

  1. A few countries continue to produce waste at a high rate.

  2. The global population is growing.

  3. Development is discouraging recycling.

  4. Increases in global per capita waste production are actually accelerating.

Question 5

5. Plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean threatens marine life. How does it potentially impact humans?

  1. It doesn’t because ocean shipping is unaffected.

  2. The accumulated plastics are already catching fire.

  3. The toxic chemicals leaching from the plastics have contaminated seafood.

  4. The plastic waste has caused a loss of profits to the cruise ship business.

Question 6

6. Which was not an impediment to developing the nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain?

  1. Local political resistance

  2. Concerns about safety of nuclear waste transport

  3. The possibility of groundwater contamination

  4. International pressures

Question 7

7. What was the main purpose of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)?

  1. To set rules for endangered species conservation

  2. To conserve forests in the United States

  3. To set standards for solid waste landfills

  4. To begin cleanup of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Question 8

8. How does landfill gas differ from the natural gas extracted from deep wells in gas and oil fields?

  1. Landfill gas is composed of entirely different gases.

  2. Unrefined landfill gas has lower energy content.

  3. Landfill gas cannot be burned without refining.

  4. There is no market for landfill gas.

Question 9

9. What mechanisms have been used to increase recycling rates?

  1. Deposits on beverage containers

  2. Laws requiring recycling

  3. Access to recycling bins

  4. All of the above

Question 10

10. What is the main difference between landfills for municipal solid waste and hazardous waste landfills?

  1. Hazardous waste landfills must have double liners; a single liner is required for municipal landfills.

  2. In contrast to municipal landfills, leachate from hazardous waste landfills must be collected.

  3. To provide convenient access to stored materials, hazardous waste landfills cannot be capped.

  4. Municipal landfills are required to have a leak detection system.

Critical Analysis

Question 1

1. Discuss how the Great Pacific Garbage Patch represents a Tragedy of the Commons (Chapter 2, page 49)?

Question 2

2. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of an economic system in which all products are recyclable?

Question 3

3. What models related to waste might lower-income countries offer to high-income countries?

Question 4

4. Outline a management plan for brownfields that would turn them into economic and environmental assets to communities where they occur.

Question 5

5. How would engineers and others ensure that a nuclear waste repository is safe from not only physical disturbance but also human intrusion for the next million years?