Chapter 19 Study Guide Part 2

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), what percentage of the approved or proposed Superfund sites have been cleaned up

75 out of 1,200

The total amount of solid waste generated in the United States in the last 40 years has ____________________.

Doubled

Superfund and RCRA are administered and enforced by the United States ___________________________________.

Environmental Protection Agency or EPA

More than half of the solid waste produced in the United States comes from ____________________.

Manufacturing

What are the benefits of recycling

Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals. Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials. Saves energy. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.

What are the requirements for a landfill built today

Vent pipes must be installed for removing methane, It must have systems for collecting and treating leachate, It must be lined with clay and plastic

An advantage of ____________________ plastic is that its production uses 20 to 50 percent less fossil fuel than does the protection of regular plastic.

green

Wastes containing toxic, corrosive, or explosive materials are considered ____________________.

hazardous

An advantage of a solid waste ____________________ is that it reduces the amount of trash destined for landfills

incinerator

From 1970 to the present, the percentage of waste that is recycled has

increased from 6.6 percent to 28 percent.

A disadvantage to a solid waste incinerator is

it creates pollution

An advantage to a solid waste incinerator is

it reduces the amount of trash destined for landfills

A modern landfill has a plastic liner to prevent ____________________ from seeping into the soil and contaminating the groundwater.

leachate

Which of the following are problems are associated with landfills?

leachate and methane production

Which of the following are problems associated with landfills?

leachate and methane production

What is the main problem with so-called biodegradable plastic

only its organic portion actually decomposes.

You can use your consumer buying power to reduce solid waste by using ____________________ batteries.

rechargable

The steps involved in the recycling of materials are ____________________, cleaning, and crushing.

sorting

Polyester is a(n) _________________________, and therefore its made from non-biodegradable material commonly used in clothing.

synthetic material

Which regulation requires producers of hazardous wastes to document how their wastes are handled?

the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

An example of source reduction is

using canvas shopping bags.

What is an example of something that is biodegradable?

an apple

A common characteristic of all hazardous-waste land-disposal facilities is that they

are long-term storage sites.

Define biodegradable

capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.

Disposing of hazardous wastes by pumping them into the ground below groundwater level is called _________________________.

deep-well injection