Waste around the world
Landfills and disposals
Hazardous waste
Plastic problems
By the numbers
100

Which country generates the most solid waste per person?

What is the United States?

100

What is the most common method of solid waste disposal in the U.S.?

What are sanitary landfills?

100

What makes waste "hazardous"?

What is being toxic, flammable, or dangerous to health?

100

What are plastics made from?

What are synthetic materials from fossil fuels?

100

How many kilograms of waste does the average American produce per day?

What is 2 kilograms?

200

Name one other highly waste-producing country besides the U.S.

What is Canada or Australia?

200

Name one state that imports solid waste from other states.

What is Pennsylvania or South Carolina?

200

Which federal agency tracks hazardous waste?

What is the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)?

200

What is the term for tiny plastic pieces that come from broken-down waste?

What are microplastics?

200

What percentage of U.S. solid waste is sent to landfills?

What is over 50%?

300

What term describes materials that are thrown away?

What is solid waste?

300

What protective feature do sanitary landfills include to prevent contamination?

What are clay liners or leachate collection systems?

300

True or False: States that produce the most hazardous waste always store the most hazardous waste.

What is false?

300

What happens to a large portion of the U.S.’s plastic waste?

What is it is exported to developing countries?

300

In which year did the EPA track data in the maps shown?

What is 2019?

400

What type of countries generate the least solid waste per person?

What are developing countries?

400

What is one downside of using landfills as the primary disposal method?

What is they take up space and can leak pollutants?

400

Name one state that receives more hazardous waste than it produces.

What is Texas or Ohio?

400

Why is plastic considered more harmful than many other types of waste?

What is because it doesn’t biodegrade?

400

How many millions of kilograms of hazardous waste were produced in the U.S. according to the EPA map?

What is over 30 million kilograms?

500

According to the global map, most of the highest waste-generating countries are located on which continents?

What are North America, Europe, and Oceania?

500

What happens to trash when a local landfill reaches capacity?

What is it is shipped to another landfill, sometimes in another state?

500

Why is hazardous waste disposal considered an environmental justice issue?

What is because low-income and minority communities are often affected most?

500

Name one long-term impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems.

What is harming marine life or contaminating food chains?

500

What is the approximate weight in pounds of the average American's daily waste?

What is nearly 5 pounds?

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