Question 1

The pulp from one tree equals a stack of newspapers about

Accepted Answer

A) a half a meter high. 
B) a meter high. 
C) two meters high. 
D) five meters high. 
A) a half a meter high. 
B) a meter high. 
C) two meters high. 
D) five meters high.

Question 2

In Massachusetts and other states,closed landfills are for the first time being used for

Accepted Answer

A) producing electricity by incinerating solid wastes. 
B) generating electricity from acres of photocells covering the landfill surface. 
C) extraction of recyclable materials. 
D) disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. 
A) producing electricity by incinerating solid wastes. 
B) generating electricity from acres of photocells covering the landfill surface. 
C) extraction of recyclable materials. 
D) disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants.

Question 3

Now,these students need to make a decision about what sort of towels they should purchase,again,in an attempt to generate the least amount of MSW.They agree that if they purchase paper towels,they will buy the thick,quilted brand.The best strategy,to generate the least amount of MSW,would be to purchase

Accepted Answer

A) 5 bulk packages of 10 paper towels,for a total of 50 rolls of paper towels,and 10 garbage bags. 
B) 10 bulk packages of 5 paper towels,for a total of 50 rolls of paper towels,and 10 garbage bags. 
C) 25 packages of 2 paper towels each,for a total of 50 rolls of paper towels,and 10 garbage bags. 
D) one bag of 5 rags (about the size of 5 rolls of paper towels)that they can wash out and reuse. 
A) 5 bulk packages of 10 paper towels,for a total of 50 rolls of paper towels,and 10 garbage bags. 
B) 10 bulk packages of 5 paper towels,for a total of 50 rolls of paper towels,and 10 garbage bags. 
C) 25 packages of 2 paper towels each,for a total of 50 rolls of paper towels,and 10 garbage bags. 
D) one bag of 5 rags (about the size of 5 rolls of paper towels)that they can wash out and reuse.

Question 4

One of the greatest drawbacks of using incinerators to burn MSW is that incinerators

Accepted Answer

A) add to air pollution in the region. 
B) increase the mass of MSW entering the landfills. 
C) generate large volumes of toxins that otherwise would not need to be managed. 
D) require large amounts of coal to burn the MSW. 
A) add to air pollution in the region. 
B) increase the mass of MSW entering the landfills. 
C) generate large volumes of toxins that otherwise would not need to be managed. 
D) require large amounts of coal to burn the MSW.

Question 5

Closed landfills,first dubbed the "solid waste crisis" in the 1970s,now are being transformed into

Accepted Answer

A) organic farms. 
B) nuclear waste storage sites. 
C) recreational parks,nature preserves and golf courses. 
D) new sources of clean drinking water. 
A) organic farms. 
B) nuclear waste storage sites. 
C) recreational parks,nature preserves and golf courses. 
D) new sources of clean drinking water.

Question 6

If you use curbside recycling or participate in on-campus recycling,the sorted recyclable items will likely be sent to a MRF.At the MRF,the materials will be

Accepted Answer

A) recycled into new products. 
B) sorted again and shipped to the recyclable-goods market. 
C) melted down into blocks (glass and plasti
C) or ground up (paper). 
D) burned,with the residual glass and metals remaining behind for further sorting. 
A) recycled into new products. 
B) sorted again and shipped to the recyclable-goods market. 
C) melted down into blocks (glass and plasti
C) or ground up (paper). 
D) burned,with the residual glass and metals remaining behind for further sorting.

Question 7

In general,newspaper recycling is

Accepted Answer

A) rare because demand in Europe and Asia has fallen. 
B) rare but the demand is quite high and steady. 
C) common and widespread but the demand is quite variable. 
D) common and widespread and the demand remains very consistent and high. 
A) rare because demand in Europe and Asia has fallen. 
B) rare but the demand is quite high and steady. 
C) common and widespread but the demand is quite variable. 
D) common and widespread and the demand remains very consistent and high.

Question 8

-WTE combustion facilities like the one illustrated here

Accepted Answer

A) extend the life of landfills by decreasing waste volume. 
B) are able to eliminate the disposal of MSW. 
C) increase the volume of MSW that must be buried in landfills. 
D) ultimately increase the use fossil fuels to generate electricity. 
A) extend the life of landfills by decreasing waste volume. 
B) are able to eliminate the disposal of MSW. 
C) increase the volume of MSW that must be buried in landfills. 
D) ultimately increase the use fossil fuels to generate electricity.

Question 9

Which of the following strategies is the least costly and most environmentally sound way to address MSW management?

Accepted Answer

A) recycle MSW as much as possible 
B) promote MSW reduction strategies 
C) compost organic components of MSW 
D) burn as much MSW as possible in WTE facilities 
A) recycle MSW as much as possible 
B) promote MSW reduction strategies 
C) compost organic components of MSW 
D) burn as much MSW as possible in WTE facilities

Question 10

Which of the following products is difficult to recycle,clogs sewer pipes,and kills thousands of marine mammals and turtles every year?

Accepted Answer

A) aluminum and steel cans 
B) plastic bottles 
C) glass containers 
D) thin plastic grocery bags 
A) aluminum and steel cans 
B) plastic bottles 
C) glass containers 
D) thin plastic grocery bags

Question 11

Which of the following would reduce the greatest amount of MSW?

Accepted Answer

A) using half as much toilet paper when you use the restroom 
B) using paper towels whenever possible instead of sponges and rags 
C) buying concentrated cleaning solutions and refilling cleaning bottles at home 
D) buying food products in individual serving containers whenever possible 
A) using half as much toilet paper when you use the restroom 
B) using paper towels whenever possible instead of sponges and rags 
C) buying concentrated cleaning solutions and refilling cleaning bottles at home 
D) buying food products in individual serving containers whenever possible

Question 12

Challenges in dealing with the growing volume of e-wastes include all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A) avoiding outsourcing e-waste to developing nations where workers are not protected from the hazardous materials they handle. 
B) developing the specialized technology for safely processing recyclable e-wastes. 
C) creating public policy to regulate the handling of e-wastes. 
D) developing the emission control for toxic materials when e-wastes are incinerated with other combustible MSW. 
A) avoiding outsourcing e-waste to developing nations where workers are not protected from the hazardous materials they handle. 
B) developing the specialized technology for safely processing recyclable e-wastes. 
C) creating public policy to regulate the handling of e-wastes. 
D) developing the emission control for toxic materials when e-wastes are incinerated with other combustible MSW.

Question 13

According to EPA requirements for new landfills,leachate from the landfill must be

Accepted Answer

A) collected by a system that intercepts percolation and treats it as necessary. 
B) collected into pools at the edge of the landfill where it can evaporate. 
C) absorbed by materials such as paper products added as the landfill is formed. 
D) contained within the landfill using a system of plastic liners that prevent its escape. 
A) collected by a system that intercepts percolation and treats it as necessary. 
B) collected into pools at the edge of the landfill where it can evaporate. 
C) absorbed by materials such as paper products added as the landfill is formed. 
D) contained within the landfill using a system of plastic liners that prevent its escape.

Question 14

Which of the following would be included in the general definition used by the federal government to define MSW?

Accepted Answer

A) substances,such as gasoline,that can catch fire easily 
B) household and restaurant garbage 
C) substances such as ammonia and pesticides,which can injure human health 
D) agricultural and mining residues 
A) substances,such as gasoline,that can catch fire easily 
B) household and restaurant garbage 
C) substances such as ammonia and pesticides,which can injure human health 
D) agricultural and mining residues

Question 15

You finish your canned drink and get ready to throw it out.A garbage can is right nearby,but the recycling bin is a few more steps.Should you bother to recycle aluminum cans? Does it really make a difference? Remember that most electrical energy in the U.S.is generated from fuels that contribute to global climate change.So,when you recycle an aluminum can,about how much energy is saved compared to the amount needed to make a new can from scratch?

Accepted Answer

A) 10-20% 
B) 30-40% 
C) 50-60% 
D) 85-95% 
A) 10-20% 
B) 30-40% 
C) 50-60% 
D) 85-95%

Question 16

As the population and economy has grown since 1990 in the United States,the weight per person of MSW produced has

Accepted Answer

A) declined sharply. 
B) increased sharply. 
C) stayed about the same. 
D) declined in the 1990s but nearly doubled since the year 2000. 
A) declined sharply. 
B) increased sharply. 
C) stayed about the same. 
D) declined in the 1990s but nearly doubled since the year 2000.

Question 17

A city is considering the location of its next landfill.According to EPA requirements for new landfills,the city should consider

Accepted Answer

A) a region near an airport. 
B) a region prone to earthquakes. 
C) a low swampy region near a river. 
D) an elevated region above the water table. 
A) a region near an airport. 
B) a region prone to earthquakes. 
C) a low swampy region near a river. 
D) an elevated region above the water table.

Question 18

As of 2012,the fastest growing component of street and beach litter in the United States is

Accepted Answer

A) aluminum cans. 
B) plastic water bottles. 
C) vegetation waste from yards and businesses. 
D) sheetrock,lumber scraps and other construction site waste. 
A) aluminum cans. 
B) plastic water bottles. 
C) vegetation waste from yards and businesses. 
D) sheetrock,lumber scraps and other construction site waste.

Question 19

Compare the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW)generated per person in 2010 to 1960.If we remove the portion that could be recycled from the 2010 average,how would the remainder compare to the average per person MSW in 1960 when there was essentially no recycling? The average per person MSW in 2010 would be

Accepted Answer

A) about half that generated per person in 1960. 
B) about the same as that generated per person in 1960. 
C) about 10% more than that generated per person in 1960. 
D) more than double that generated per person in 1960. 
A) about half that generated per person in 1960. 
B) about the same as that generated per person in 1960. 
C) about 10% more than that generated per person in 1960. 
D) more than double that generated per person in 1960.

Question 20

A landfill that was abandoned about 20 years ago has been eroding.Trees and grasses that had grown on the surface have died,the soil is eroding away,and buried wastes are now exposed at the surfaces.Nobody has been doing anything with the landfill for years.Most likely,these problems are the result of

Accepted Answer

A) rodents trying to dig up the buried wastes. 
B) biogas seeping to the surface. 
C) settling of the earth as the buried wastes decompose. 
D) leachate generation from the buried wastes. 
A) rodents trying to dig up the buried wastes. 
B) biogas seeping to the surface. 
C) settling of the earth as the buried wastes decompose. 
D) leachate generation from the buried wastes.

The pulp from one tree equals a stack of newspapers about

In Massachusetts and other states,closed landfills are for the first time being used for

One of the greatest drawbacks of using incinerators to burn MSW is that incinerators

Closed landfills,first dubbed the "solid waste crisis" in the 1970s,now are being transformed into

If you use curbside recycling or participate in on-campus recycling,the sorted recyclable items will likely be sent to a MRF.At the MRF,the materials will be

In general,newspaper recycling is

-WTE combustion facilities like the one illustrated here

Which of the following strategies is the least costly and most environmentally sound way to address MSW management?

Which of the following products is difficult to recycle,clogs sewer pipes,and kills thousands of marine mammals and turtles every year?

Which of the following would reduce the greatest amount of MSW?

Challenges in dealing with the growing volume of e-wastes include all of the following except

According to EPA requirements for new landfills,leachate from the landfill must be

Which of the following would be included in the general definition used by the federal government to define MSW?

As the population and economy has grown since 1990 in the United States,the weight per person of MSW produced has

A city is considering the location of its next landfill.According to EPA requirements for new landfills,the city should consider

As of 2012,the fastest growing component of street and beach litter in the United States is

Science and the Environment

Economics, Politics, and Public Policy

Basic Needs of Living Things

Populations and Communities

Ecosystems: Energy, Patterns, and Disturbance

Wild Species and Biodiversity

The Use and Restoration of Ecosystems

The Human Population

Population and Development

Water: Hydrologic Cycle and Human Use

Soil: Foundation for Land Ecosystems

The Production and Distribution of Food

Pests and Pest Control

Energy From Fossil Fuels

Nuclear Power

Renewable Energy

Environmental Hazards and Human Health

Global Climate Change

Atmospheric Pollution

Water Pollution and Its Prevention

Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention

Sustainable Communities and Lifestyles

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Exam 21: Municipal Solid Waste: Disposal and Recovery

The pulp from one tree equals a stack of newspapers about

In Massachusetts and other states,closed landfills are for the first time being used for

One of the greatest drawbacks of using incinerators to burn MSW is that incinerators

Closed landfills,first dubbed the "solid waste crisis" in the 1970s,now are being transformed into

If you use curbside recycling or participate in on-campus recycling,the sorted recyclable items will likely be sent to a MRF.At the MRF,the materials will be

In general,newspaper recycling is

-WTE combustion facilities like the one illustrated here

Which of the following strategies is the least costly and most environmentally sound way to address MSW management?

Which of the following products is difficult to recycle,clogs sewer pipes,and kills thousands of marine mammals and turtles every year?

Which of the following would reduce the greatest amount of MSW?

Challenges in dealing with the growing volume of e-wastes include all of the following except

According to EPA requirements for new landfills,leachate from the landfill must be

Which of the following would be included in the general definition used by the federal government to define MSW?

As the population and economy has grown since 1990 in the United States,the weight per person of MSW produced has

A city is considering the location of its next landfill.According to EPA requirements for new landfills,the city should consider

As of 2012,the fastest growing component of street and beach litter in the United States is

Science and the Environment

Economics, Politics, and Public Policy

Basic Needs of Living Things

Populations and Communities

Ecosystems: Energy, Patterns, and Disturbance

Wild Species and Biodiversity

The Use and Restoration of Ecosystems

The Human Population

Population and Development

Water: Hydrologic Cycle and Human Use

Soil: Foundation for Land Ecosystems

The Production and Distribution of Food

Pests and Pest Control

Energy From Fossil Fuels

Nuclear Power

Renewable Energy

Environmental Hazards and Human Health

Global Climate Change

Atmospheric Pollution

Water Pollution and Its Prevention

Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention

Sustainable Communities and Lifestyles

Filters