1. Solid and Hazardous Waste
Chapter 22
Solid and Hazardous Waste

2. Chapter Overview Questions
What is solid waste and how much do we produce?
How can we produce less solid waste?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of reusing recycled materials?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of burning or burying solid waste?
What is hazardous waste and how can we deal with it?

3. Chapter Overview Questions (cont’d)
What can we do to reduce exposure to lead and mercury?
How can we make the transition to a more sustainable low-waste society?

4. WASTING RESOURCES
Solid waste: any unwanted or discarded material we produce that is not a liquid or gas.
Municipal solid waste (MSW): produce directly from homes.
Industrial solid waste: produced indirectly by industries that supply people with goods and services.

5. WASTING RESOURCES
Solid wastes polluting a river in Jakarta, Indonesia. The man in the boat is looking for items to salvage or sell.
Figure 22-3

6. HAZARDOUS WASTE
Hazardous waste: is any discarded solid or liquid material that is toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or reactive enough to explode or release toxic fumes.
The two largest classes of hazardous wastes are organic compounds (e.g. pesticides, PCBs, dioxins) and toxic heavy metals (e.g. lead, mercury, arsenic).

7. What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home?
Gardening
Cleaning
• Pesticides
• Ant and rodent killers
• Disinfectants
• Weed killers
• Drain, toilet, and
window cleaners
• Flea powders
• Spot removers
• Septic tank cleaners
Paint
• Latex and oil-based paints
• Paint thinners, solvents,
and strippers
Figure 22.15
Science: harmful chemicals found in many U.S. homes. The U.S. Congress has exempted disposal of these materials from government regulation. QUESTION: Which of these chemicals are in your home?
• Stains, varnishes,
and lacquers
Automotive
• Wood preservatives
• Used motor oil
• Artist paints and inks
• Gasoline
• Battery acid
• Antifreeze
General
• Solvents
• Dry-cell batteries
(mercury and cadmium)
• Brake and
transmission fluid
• Glues and cements
• Rust inhibitor and
rust remover
Fig , p. 534

8. Test Your Knowledge About Hazardous Waste in Your Home
Click on the picture above to follow the hyperlink.

9. WASTING RESOURCES
The United States produces about a third of the world’s solid waste and buries more than half of it in landfills.
About 98.5% is industrial solid waste.
The remaining 1.5% is MSW.
About 55% of U.S. MSW is dumped into landfills, 30% is recycled or composted, and 15% is burned in incinerators.

10. Thinking About Solid Waste
Why do you think Americans produce twice as much municipal solid waste per person as do people in other industrial countries?
What role does lifestyle play in this waste production?
List three ways to reduce the output of solid municipal waste.

11. Electronic Waste: A Growing Problem
E-waste consists of toxic and hazardous waste such as PVC, lead, mercury, and cadmium.
Most ends up in landfills /incinerators.
E-cycling businesses and cradle to grave approach my help
A Cradle to Grave approach would require manufacturers to take back electronic products at the end of their useful lives for repair, remanufacture, or recycling and would ban e-waste from landfills and incinerators. Considering the scientific, economic and political issues, what are the pros and cons of this kind of approach?
Figure 22-4

12. 2 Reasons to Reduce the amount of Solid Waste we Produce
¾ ths of it is Unnecessary
We could recycle 90% of the MSW we produce
Production of products we often use and discard creates huge amounts of air pollution, green-house gases, water pollution, and land degradation

13. Solid Wastes are only raw materials we’re too stupid to use.
ARTHUR C.CLARKE

14. INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
Which is an input approach? Which is an output approach?
We can deal with solid wastes through Waste Management or Waste Reduction.
Figure 22-5

15. First Priority Second Priority Last Priority Primary Pollution
and Waste Prevention
Secondary Pollution
and Waste Prevention
Waste Management
• Treat waste to reduce
toxicity
• Change industrial
process to eliminate
use of harmful
chemicals
• Reuse products
• Repair products
• Incinerate waste
• Recycle
• Bury waste in
landfills
• Purchase different
products
• Compost
• Release waste into
environment for
dispersal or dilution
• Buy reusable
recyclable products
• Use less of a harmful
product
• Reduce packaging
and materials in
products
Figure 22.5
Integrated waste management: priorities suggested by prominent scientists for dealing with solid waste. To date, these waste-reduction priorities have not been followed in the United States and in most other countries. Instead, most efforts are devoted to waste management (bury it or burn it). QUESTION: Why do most countries not follow these priorities based on sound science? (Data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. National Academy of Sciences)
• Make products that
last longer and are
recyclable, reusable,
or easy to repair
Fig. 22-5, p. 523

16. Solutions: Reducing Solid Waste
Refuse: to buy items that we really don’t need.
Reduce: consume less and live a simpler and less stressful life by practicing simplicity.
Reuse: rely more on items that can be used over and over.
Repurpose: use something for another purpose instead of throwing it away.
Recycle: paper, glass, cans, plastics…and buy items made from recycled materials.

17.
The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,864 groups with 7,603,875 members around the world. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.
What do you think? Good idea? Effective? Can it work anywhere? How about Salatiga? Could we set it up and make it work?

18. What Can You Do? Solid Waste
• Follow the five Rs of resource use: Refuse, Reduce,
Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle.
• Ask yourself whether you really need a particular item.
• Rent, borrow, or barter goods and services when you can.
• Buy things that are reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and be sure to reuse, recycle, and compost them.
• Do not use throwaway paper and plastic plates,
cups and eating utensils, and other disposable items
when reusable or refillable versions are available.
Figure 22.6
Individuals matter: ways to save resources and reduce your output of solid waste and pollution. QUESTIONS: Which three of these actions do you think are the most important? Which ones do you do?
• Refill and reuse a bottled water container with tap water.
• Use in place of conventional paper mail.
• Read newspapers and magazines online.
• Buy products in concentrated form whenever possible.
Fig. 22-6, p. 524

19. Case Study: Using Refillable Containers
Refilling and reusing containers uses fewer resources and less energy, produces less waste, saves money, and creates jobs.
In Denmark and Canada’s Price Edward’s Island there is a ban on all beverage containers that cannot be reused.
In Finland 95% of soft drink and alcoholic beverages are refillable (Germany 75%).

20. REUSE
Reducing resource waste: energy consumption for different types of 350-ml (12-oz) beverage containers.
Figure 22-7

21. Glass drink bottle, used once
Aluminum can, used once
Steel can, used once
Recycled steel can
Glass drink bottle, used once
Recycled aluminum can
Recycled glass drink bottle
Figure 22.7
Reducing resource waste: energy consumption for different types of 350-milliliter (12-fluid ounce) beverage containers. (Data from Argonne National Laboratory)
Refillable drink bottle, used 10 times
Energy (thousands of kilocalories)
Fig. 22-7, p. 525

22. How Would You Vote?
Do you support banning all beverage containers that cannot be reused as Denmark has done?
a. No. Reused containers may be unsanitary.
b. Yes. A ban will save energy, money, and resources and result in a cleaner environment.

23. Solutions: Other Ways to Reuse Things
We can use reusable shopping bags, food containers, and shipping pallets, and borrow tools from tool libraries.
Many countries in Europe and Asia charge shoppers for plastic bags.

24. How Would You Vote?
Should consumers have to pay for plastic or paper bags at grocery and other stores?
a. No. Instead, give discounts to people who bring their own bags.
b. Yes. Making consumers buy their bags will reduce waste.

25. RECYCLING
Primary (closed loop) recycling: materials are turned into new products of the same type.
Secondary recycling: materials are converted into different products.
Used tires shredded and converted into rubberized road surface.
Newspapers transformed into cellulose insulation.

26. RECYCLING
There is a disagreement over whether to mix urban wastes and send them to centralized resource recovery plants or to sort recyclables for collection and sale to manufacturers as raw materials.
To promote separation of wastes, 4,000 communities in the U.S. have implemented pay-as-you-throw or fee-per-bag waste collection systems.

27. How Would You Vote?
Should households and businesses be charged for the amount of mixed waste picked up but not charged for pickup of materials separated for recycling?
a. No. It would encourage illegal dumping and burning of wastes.
b. Yes. Consumer source separation saves money and makes consumers more conscientious.

28. RECYCLING
Composting biodegradable organic waste mimics nature by recycling plant nutrients to the soil.
Recycling paper has a number of environmental (reduction in pollution and deforestation, less energy expenditure) and economic benefits and is easy to do.

29. RECYCLING
Recycling many plastics is chemically and economically difficult.
Many plastics are hard to isolate from other wastes.
Recovering individual plastic resins does not yield much material.
The cost of virgin plastic resins in lower than recycled resins due to low fossil fuel costs.
There are new technologies that are making plastics biodegradable.

30. How Would You Vote?
To conduct an instant in-class survey using a classroom response system, access “JoinIn Clicker Content” from the PowerLecture main menu for Living in the Environment.
Should we place much greater emphasis on recycling with the goal of recycling at least 60% of the municipal solid waste that we produce?
a. No. Recycling programs should be market driven rather than setting unrealistically high goals that will either fail or require support from already overtaxed citizens.
b. Yes. High recycling rates will reduce pollution and save energy.

31. RECYCLING
Reuse and recycling are hindered by prices of goods that do not reflect their harmful environmental impacts, too few government subsidies and tax breaks, and price fluctuations.

32. How Would You Vote?
Should governments pass laws requiring manufacturers to take back and reuse or recycle all packaging waste, appliances, electronic equipment, and motor vehicles at the end of their useful lives?
a. No. These regulations would increase prices for consumers.
b. Yes. The regulations would promote the manufacturing of more environmentally friendly products and further protect the environment.

33. Trade-Offs Recycling Advantages Disadvantages
Reduces air and water pollution
Does not save landfill space in areas with ample land
Saves energy
Reduces mineral demand
May lose money for items such as glass and most plastic
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
Reduces solid waste production and disposal
Reduces profits from landfills and incinerators
Figure 22.9
Trade-offs: advantages and disadvantages of recycling solid waste. QUESTION: Which single advantage and which single disadvantage do you think are the most important?
Helps protect biodiversity
Can save money for items such as paper, metals, and some plastics
Source separation is inconvenient for some people
Important part of economy
Fig. 22-9, p. 529

34. BURNING AND BURYING SOLID WASTE
Globally, MSW is burned in over 1,000 large waste-to-energy incinerators, which boil water to make steam for heating water, or space, or for production of electricity.
Japan and a few European countries incinerate most of their MSW.

35. Trade-Offs Incineration Advantages Disadvantages Expensive to build
Reduces trash volume
Expensive to build
Costs more than
short-distance
hauling to
landfills
Less need
for landfills
Low water pollution
Difficult to site because of citizen opposition
Concentrates hazardous substances
into ash for
burial or use
as landfill
cover
Some air pollution
Older or poorly managed facilities can release large amounts of air pollution
Figure 22.11
Trade-offs: advantages and disadvantages of waste-to-energy incineration of solid waste. These trade-offs also apply to the incineration of hazardous waste. QUESTION: Which single advantage and which single disadvantage do you think are the most important?
Output approach that encourages waste production
Sale of energy reduces cost
Modern controls reduce air pollution
Can compete with recycling for burnable materials such as newspaper
Some facilities recover and sell metals
Fig , p. 531

36. How Would You Vote?
Do the advantages of incinerating solid waste outweigh the disadvantages?
a. Yes. Incineration is a sanitary and effective method for eliminating infectious and organic wastes.
b. No. Incineration can generate toxic air pollution and ashes.

37. Burying Solid Waste
Most of the world’s MSW is buried in landfills that eventually are expected to leak toxic liquids into the soil and underlying aquifers.
Open dumps: are fields or holes in the ground where garbage is deposited and sometimes covered with soil. Mostly used in developing countries.
Sanitary landfills: solid wastes are spread out in thin layers, compacted and covered daily with a fresh layer of clay or plastic foam.

38. Pipes collect explosive methane as used as fuel
When landfill is full,
layers of soil and clay
seal in trash
Topsoil
Electricity
generator
building
Sand
Clay
Methane storage
and compressor
building
Leachate
treatment system
Garbage
Probes to
detect
methane
leaks
Pipes collect explosive methane as used as fuel
to generate electricity
Methane gas
recovery well
Leachate
storage
tank
Compacted
solid waste
Figure 22.12
Solutions: state-of-the-art sanitary landfill, which is designed to eliminate or minimize environmental problems that plague older landfills. Even these landfills are expected to leak eventually, passing both the effects of contamination and cleanup costs on to future generations. Since 1997, only modern sanitary landfills are allowed in the United States. As a result, many older and small landfills have been closed and replaced with larger local and regional modern landfills.
Garbage
Groundwater
monitoring
well
Leachate
pipes
Leachate pumped
up to storage tank
for safe disposal
Sand
Synthetic
liner
Leachate
monitoring
well
Sand
Clay and plastic lining
to prevent leaks; pipes
collect leachate from
bottom of landfill
Groundwater
Clay
Subsoil
Fig , p. 532

39. Trade-Offs Sanitary Landfills Advantages Disadvantages
Noise and traffic
No open burning
Dust
Little odor
Air pollution from toxic gases and volatile organic
compounds
Low groundwater
pollution if sited properly
Releases greenhouse gases (methane and CO2)
unless they are collected
Can be built quickly
Low operating costs
Groundwater contamination
Figure 22.13
Trade-offs: advantages and disadvantages of using sanitary landfills to dispose of solid waste. QUESTION: Which single advantage and which single disadvantage do you think are the most important?
Can handle large amounts of waste
Slow decomposition
of wastes
Filled land can be used for other purposes
Discourages recycling, reuse, and waste reduction
No shortage of landfill space in many areas
Eventually leaks and can contaminate groundwater
Fig , p. 533

40. How Would You Vote?
Do the advantages of burying solid waste in sanitary landfills outweigh the disadvantages?
a. No. Ultimately, landfills leak and pollute the environment.
b. Yes. They have relatively low operating costs, can store large amounts of waste, and are designed to prevent pollution.

41. Case Study: What Should We Do with Used Tires?
We face a dilemma in deciding what to so with hundreds of millions of discarded tires.
Figure 22-14

42. Hazardous Waste Regulations in the United States
Two major federal laws regulate the management and disposal of hazardous waste in the U.S.:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Cradle-to-the-grave system to keep track waste.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Commonly known as Superfund program.

43. Hazardous Waste Regulations in the United States
The Superfund law was designed to have polluters pay for cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites.
Only 70% of the cleanup costs have come from the polluters, the rest comes from a trust fund financed until 1995 by taxes on chemical raw materials and oil.

44. How Would You Vote?
Should the U.S. Congress reinstate the polluter-pays principle by using taxes from chemical, oil, mining, and smelting companies to reestablish a fund for cleaning up existing and new Superfund sites?
a. No. All taxpayers, not certain industries, should pay for cleaning up sites polluted in the past.
b. Yes. Funding for Superfund is needed and waste-generating industries rather than ordinary citizens should fund it.

45. DEALING WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE
We can produce less hazardous waste and recycle, reuse, detoxify, burn, and bury what we continue to produce.
Figure 22-16

46. Convert to Less Hazardous or Nonhazardous Substances
Produce Less Waste
Manipulate
processes
to eliminate
or reduce
production
Recycle
and
reuse
Convert to Less Hazardous or Nonhazardous Substances
Chemical,
physical, and
biological
treatment
Ocean and
atmospheric
assimilation
Land
treatment
Thermal
treatment
Incineration
Figure 22.16
Integrated hazardous waste management: priorities suggested by prominent scientists for dealing with hazardous waste. To date, these priorities have not been followed in the United States and in most other countries. (Data from U.S. National Academy of Sciences)
Put in Perpetual Storage
Arid region
unsaturated
zone
Waste
piles
Surface
impoundments
Salt
formations
Underground
injection
Landfill
Fig , p. 536

47. Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances
Physical Methods: using charcoal or resins to separate out harmful chemicals.
Chemical Methods: using chemical reactions that can convert hazardous chemicals to less harmful or harmless chemicals.

48. Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances
Biological Methods:
Bioremediation: bacteria or enzymes help destroy toxic and hazardous waste or convert them to more benign substances.
Phytoremediation: involves using natural or genetically engineered plants to absorb, filter and remove contaminants from polluted soil and water.

49. Radioactive contaminants Organic contaminants Inorganic
metal contaminants
Poplar tree
Brake fern
Sunflower
Willow tree
Indian mustard
Landfill
Polluted
groundwater in
Oil
spill
Figure 22.17
Solutions: phytoremediation. Various types of plants can be used as pollution sponges to clean up soil and water and radioactive substances (left), organic compounds (center), and toxic metals (right). (Data from American Society of Plant Physiologists, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Edenspace)
Polluted
leachate
Decontaminated
water out
Soil
Soil
Groundwater
Groundwater
Rhizofiltration
Roots of plants such as
sunflowers with dangling
roots on ponds or in green-
houses can absorb pollutants
such as radioactive strontium-90 and cesium-137 and various
organic chemicals.
Phytostabilization
Plants such as willow trees and poplars can absorb chemicals and keep them from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water.
Phytodegradation
Plants such as poplars
can absorb toxic organic
chemicals and break them down into less harmful compounds which they store or
release slowly into the air.
Phytoextraction
Roots of plants such as Indian
mustard and brake ferns can
absorb toxic metals such as
lead, arsenic, and others and
store them in their leaves.
Plants can then be recycled
or harvested and incinerated.

50. Can reduce material dumped into landfills
Trade-Offs
Phytoremediation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Easy to establish
Slow (can
take several
growing
seasons)
Inexpensive
Effective only
at depth plant
roots can
reach
Can reduce material dumped into landfills
Some toxic organic chemicals may evaporate from plant leaves
Figure 22.18
Trade-offs: advantages and disadvantages of using phytoremediation to remove or detoxify hazardous waste. QUESTION: Which single advantage and which single disadvantage do you think are the most important?
Produces little air pollution compared to incineration
Some plants
can become
toxic to
animals
Low energy use
Fig , p. 538

51. How Would You Vote?
Do the advantages of using phytoremediation to detoxify hazardous waste outweigh the disadvantages?
a. No. The process is often too slow and cannot remove contaminants below the root zones of the remediating plants.
b. Yes. Plants can be effective in removing organics, radionuclides, and inorganic contaminants from soil and water.

52. Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances
Incineration: heating many types of hazardous waste to high temperatures – up to 2000 °C – in an incinerator can break them down and convert them to less harmful or harmless chemicals.

53. Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances
Plasma Torch: passing electrical current through gas to generate an electric arc and very high temperatures can create plasma.
The plasma process can be carried out in a torch which can decompose liquid or solid hazardous organic material.

54. Mobile. Easy to move to different sites
Trade-Offs
Plasma Arc
Advantages
Disadvantages
Small
High cost
Produces CO2 and CO
Mobile. Easy to move to different sites
Can release particulates and chlorine gas
Figure 22.19
Trade-offs: advantages and disadvantages of using a plasma arc torch to detoxify hazardous wastes. QUESTION: Which single advantage and which single disadvantage do you think are the most important?
Can vaporize and release toxic metals and radioactive elements
Produces no
toxic ash
Fig , p. 538

55. How Would You Vote?
Do the advantages of using a plasma torch to detoxify hazardous waste outweigh the disadvantages?
a. No. Plasma torches are expensive and the combustion byproducts may be harmful to the environment and humans.
b. Yes. Plasma torches are convenient for disposing of hazardous wastes.

56. Long-Term Storage of Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste can be disposed of on or underneath the earth’s surface, but without proper design and care this can pollute the air and water.
Deep-well disposal: liquid hazardous wastes are pumped under pressure into dry porous rock far beneath aquifers.
Surface impoundments: excavated depressions such as ponds, pits, or lagoons into which liners are placed and liquid hazardous wastes are stored.

57. Deep Underground Wells
Trade-Offs
Deep Underground Wells
Advantages
Disadvantages
Safe method if
sites are chosen
carefully
Leaks or spills at
surface
Leaks from
corrosion of well
casing
Wastes can be
retrieved if
problems
develop
Existing fractures
or earthquakes
can allow wastes
to escape into
groundwater
Figure 22.20
Trade-offs: advantages and disadvantages of injecting liquid hazardous wastes into deep underground wells. QUESTION: Which single advantage and which single disadvantage do you think are the most important?
Easy to do
Encourages
waste production
Low cost
Fig , p. 539

58. How Would You Vote?
Do the advantages of deep-well disposal of hazardous waste outweigh the disadvantages?
a. No. The systems may leak and contaminate valuable soils, sediments, and groundwaters.
b. Yes. Deep injection wells can be designed to permanently remove hazardous wastes from surface and near-surface environments.

59. Low construction costs
Trade-Offs
Surface Impoundments
Advantages
Disadvantages
Groundwater
contamination
from leaking liners
(or no lining)
Low construction costs
Low operating costs
Air pollution from
volatile organic
compounds
Can be built quickly
Overflow from
flooding
Figure 22.21
Trade-offs: advantages and disadvantages of storing liquid hazardous wastes in surface impoundments. QUESTION: Which single advantage and which single disadvantage do you think are the most important?
Wastes can be retrieved if necessary
Disruption and
leakage from
earthquakes
Can store wastes indefinitely with secure double liners
Promotes waste
production
Fig , p. 539

60. How Would You Vote?
Do the advantages of storing hazardous wastes in surface impoundments outweigh the disadvantages?
a. No. The environment should not be openly exposed to liquid hazardous wastes.
b. Yes. Surface impoundments are inexpensive solutions for at least the temporary storage of liquid wastes.

61. Long-Term Storage of Hazardous Waste
Long-Term Retrievable Storage: Some highly toxic materials cannot be detoxified or destroyed. Metal drums are used to stored them in areas that can be inspected and retrieved.
Secure Landfills: Sometimes hazardous waste are put into drums and buried in carefully designed and monitored sites.

62. Secure Hazardous Waste Landfill
In the U.S. there are only 23 commercial hazardous waste landfills.
Figure 22-22

63. Bulk waste Gas vent Topsoil Plastic cover Earth Impervious clay cap
Sand
Clay
cap
Impervious
clay
Water
table
Figure 22.22
Solutions: secure hazardous waste landfill.
Earth
Leak
detection
system
Groundwater
Plastic
double
liner
Double leachate
collection system
Reactive
wastes
in drums
Groundwater
monitoring
well
Fig , p. 540

64. • Use pesticides in the smallest amount possible.
What Can You Do?
Hazardous Waste
• Use pesticides in the smallest amount possible.
• Use less harmful substances instead of commercial chemicals for most household cleaners. For example use liquid ammonia to clean appliances and windows; vinegar to polish metals, clean surfaces, and remove stains and mildew; baking soda to clean household utensils, deodorize, and remove stains; borax to
remove stains and mildew.
Figure 22.23
Individuals matter: ways to reduce your input of hazardous waste into the environment. QUESTION: Which two things in this list do you do or plan to do?
• Do not dispose of pesticides, paints, solvents, oil, antifreeze, or other products containing hazardous chemicals by flushing them down the toilet, pouring them down the drain, burying them, throwing them into the garbage, or dumping them down storm drains.
Fig , p. 540

65. ACHIEVING A LOW-WASTE SOCIETY
In the U.S., citizens have kept large numbers of incinerators, landfills, and hazardous waste treatment plants from being built in their local areas.
Environmental justice means that everyone is entitled to protection from environmental hazards without discrimination.

66. Global Outlook: International Action to Reduce Hazardous Waste
An international treaty calls for phasing out the use of harmful persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
POPs are insoluble in water and soluble in fat.
Nearly every person on earth has detectable levels of POPs in their blood.
The U.S has not ratified this treaty.

67. Making the Transition to a Low-Waste Society: A New Vision
Everything is connected.
There is no “away” for the wastes we produce.
Dilution is not always the solution to pollution.
The best and cheapest way to deal with wastes are reduction and pollution prevention.

68. Chapter 21 Review Questions

69. 1. Recycling aluminum (Al) cans saves 95% of the energy needed to produce new aluminum cans from raw materials. How many Al cans can be made out of recycled Al with the same amount of energy that it takes to make one Al can out of new material?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 5 10 20

70. E. 20
If recycled cans save 95% then they only require 5%. If it takes 100% to make the non-recycled can, you can make 20 at 5% to equal 100%.

71. 2. E-waste (electronic waste) is often labeled as recyclable material and sent to undeveloped countries where workers recover a small amount of valuable metals from the waste. The remainder is then burned or dumped in landfills where it releases toxic pollutants such as dioxins. This is frequently used as a means of bypassing the
Clean Air Act
Kyoto Protocol
International Basel Convention
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Non-Proliferation Treaty

72. C. International Basel Convention
“Transferring hazardous waste from developed to developing countries is banned by the International Basel Convention. E-waste is not classified as hazardous so it can be exported legally.
Page 560

73. 3. One method to remove contaminants such as Cesium-137 from surface soil would be
To use phytoremediation that allows a plant’s roots to absorb toxins by rhizofiltration
To use a plasma arc torch to incinerate the toxins in situ
To create a surface impoundment with a liner
To spray the surface with a genetically engineered bacteria that breaks down cesium
To burn and replace the soil

74. A. To use phytoremediation that allows a plant’s roots
to absorb toxins by rhizofiltration
Cesium – 137 is a radioactive chemical that can be absorbed by the roots of plants. Rhizofiltration is an inexpensive but slow way to remove it from the surface soil.
Page 579
Figure 21-18

75. 4. One of the primary concerns of the 12 POPs (persistent organic pollutants) such as dioxins or PCBs is that they
Are soluble in water and cause large-scale problems
Can be concentrated in the fatty tissues of organisms
Are rarely found but very toxic
Quickly break down into other, more harmful pollutants
Are only found in plants and disrupt photosynthesis

76. B. Can be concentrated in the fatty tissues of organisms
Persistent organic pollutants are widely used toxic chemicals that are insoluble in water and soluble in fat. They can be concentrated in the fatty tissues of organisms that feed at the higher trophic levels. They can also be transported long distances by wind and water.
Page 584

77. 5. The majority of solid waste generated in the United States is in what form?
Toxic waste
Industrial solid waste
Municipal solid waste
Radioactive waste
Electronic waste

78. B. Industrial solid waste
“About 98.5% of all solid waste produced in the United States is industrial waste from mining (76%), agriculture (13%), and industry (9.5%).”
Page 563

79. 6. Which of the activities below is a form of integrated waste reduction?
Burying MSW in a landfill
Incinerating MSW to produce electricity
Shipping e-waste to China for disposal
Separating out and composting yard waste
Dumping non-toxic waste offshore in the oceans

80. B. Incinerating MSW to produce electricityor
D. Separating out and composting yard waste
Integrated Waste Management uses a variety of strategies for both waste reduction and waste management.
Page 565
Figure 21-6

81. 7. Which of activities below is NOT an aspect of the popular phrase, “reduce, reuse, recycle”?
ing or texting in place of using conventional paper mail
Reading newspapers or magazines on line
Buying products in bulk form whenever possible
Utilizing plastic in place of paper bags
Donating or selling used items

82. D. Utilizing plastic in place of paper bags
Both plastic and paper bags are harmful to the environment. Reusable cloth bags would be the best way to “reduce, reuse, recycle”.
Page 568

83. 8. One of the major disadvantages of recycling goods is that
It may cost more than burying trash in areas with ample space
It increases profits for landfill operators
It helps to protect biodiversity
It is an important part of the economy
It saves energy and reduces mineral demand

84. Check out the chart of advantages and disadvantages.
A. It may cost more than burying trash in areas with ample space
Check out the chart of advantages and disadvantages.
Page 573
Figure 21-12

85. 9. When you are in an area that restricts the type of plastics that can be recycled, why should you remove plastic caps from bottles when you go to recycle them?
A small amount of other plastics can contaminate and make useless recycled plastic
It is impossible to remove plastic caps from bottles before recycling
Plastic bottle caps cost too much to dispose of after their removal
The coloring of bottle caps makes them difficult to recycle
Bottles with their caps on cannot be recycled and are thrown away.

86. A. A small amount of other plastics can contaminate and make useless recycled plastic
“PET collected for recycling must not have other plastics mixed with it; a singe PVC bottle in a truckload of PET can render it useless for recycling.”
Page 572

87. 10. Many environmental scientists advocate that the best and cheapest way to deal with solid waste is to
Truck the waste to landfills and bury it
Reduce the amount produced in the first place
Incinerate the waste to generate electricity
Establish grass-roots organizations advocating for fewer landfills
Pass more laws and treaties with tighter controls on emissions of pollutants.

88. B. Reduce the amount produced in the first place
First priority - Waste Prevention “To date, these waste reduction priorities have not been followed in the United States or in most other countries.”
Page 565
Figure 21-6