How much of solid waste in the US is generated from household (municipal) waste?
2%
But it counts for 210 tons every year!
100
What is hazardous waste?
Any waste that is a risk to the health of humans or other living things
100
Name two ways that us as consumers can reduce solid waste.
Buying less, Buy in bulk (less packaging), Buy products that can be used more than once, buy quality products, buy products that can be easily repaired
100
About how much energy is saved by using recycled aluminum to make a product over aluminum extracted from ore?
95% less energy!
200
What are the two basic categories of waste?
Biodegradable and nonbiodegradable
200
What type of material makes up the majority of solid waste?
paper and paper products
200
What are three ways to manage hazardous waste?
prevent it by producing less, find ways to reuse it, or dispose of it properly (land, biological, exported, incinerated).
200
How does a compost pile work?
food and yard scraps are broken down in a pile - the warm, moist, dark conditions allow bacteria and microbes to break it down.
200
What are the series of steps that recycling often follows (generally)?
1. collect and sort
2. clean
3. shred or crush
4. package shredded or crushed material to be sent to a manufacturing company to be reused.
300
If something is made of synthetic materials, is it biodegradable or Non-biodegradable?
Nonbiodegradable
300
Why are we indirectly responsible for manufacturing waste?
Because it is created by consumers that are buying products that must be manufactured.
300
How is most hazardous waste disposed of on land? Please describe
Deep-well injection - waste is pumped into a dry rock layer below the ground water in the earth's crust. It is then covered with cement to prevent contamination.
300
Name three benefits to composting.
Keeps biodegradable waste out of landfills, provides nutrients to the soil, increases beneficial soil organisms, reduces the need for fertilizer and pesticides
300
How can companies reuse hazardous waste?
Hazardous waste can be sold to another company that may use it in their manufacturing process.
400
How much solid waste does the average American produce per day?
4.4 lbs
400
Why should we be concerned about biodegradable agriculture waste?
it is biodegradable but with increased fertilizer and pesticide use, it can be harmful to the soil
400
Name three examples where hazardous wastes can be found in our daily lives.
How can changing the materials products uses for packaging help reduce waste?
By using materials that are more easily recycled. EX: Using a product made from one resource (glass) rather than a combination (juice boxes)
400
What is the Superfund act? What actions did it bring about?
It gives the EPA the right to sue owners of hazardous waste sites for illegal dumping and can force owners to pay for cleanup. It also has a monetary fund to support clean up of abandoned hazardous waste sites.
500
Why is there not a lot of space for landfills?
Towns and cities are running out of room because there are more people.
500
Where does the majority of the waste in the US go?
Landfills
500
What is the RCRA ? What did it do?
Resource conservation and recovery act - it made the producers of hazardous wastes legally responsible for waste and they must keep records of how waste is handled at all times.
500
What are the benefits of recycling?
saves energy, water, and the other resources that product is made from.
500
Why is incinerating hazardous waste not the best option for treatment?
It is very expensive because it uses a lot of energy and needs pollution control devices and monitors. The ash also needs to be disposed of properly.