Environmental Science Chapter 19 Test

3. Which of the following statements about hazardous wastes is false? A.Only a fraction of the Superfund sites are hazardous waste sites today. B.People may dispose of hazardous wastes incorrectly because correctly disposing of them requires more money and effort. C.The EPA can sue owners of improperly managed hazardous waste sites. D.The law that governs landfills also governs hazardous wastes.

A.Only a fraction of the Superfund sites are hazardous waste sites today.

6. Hazardous wastes can be treated biologically with all of the following except A.arsenic. B.bacteria. C.flowering plants. D.neutralizing chemicals.

A.arsenic.

6. Which of the following materials can flow out of landfills into groundwater supplies and contaminate the water? A.leachate B.methane C.clay D.topsoil

A.leachate

3. Enrique organized a campaign called Bulk It Up at his school. The campaign urged students to buy bulk products rather than single-use items. The campaign was so successful that convenience stores near the school started carrying more products such as juice and peanuts in large packages rather than single-use packages. The response at convenience stores to Enrique's campaign demonstrates A.that consumers have power in the marketplace. B.that young adults have little ability to change the amount of trash discarded. C.the amount of trash young people generate. D.the value of single-use products.

A.that consumers have power in the marketplace.

2. Which of the following types of pollution is not a hazardous waste? A.PCBs from an appliance manufacturer B.aluminum from 30-year-old beverage cans C.an old car battery lying in an alleyway D.radioactive waste from a nuclear power plant

B.aluminum from 30-year-old beverage cans

1. A hazardous waste is any waste that A.does not biodegrade. B.is a risk to the health of living things. C.is a solid, liquid, or gas. D.All of the above

B.is a risk to the health of living things.

7. All of the following are materials that Jay has found in his house. Which of the materials is not a hazardous waste? A.lawn fertilizer B.lemon juice C.motor oil D.paint

B.lemon juice

2. In 1999, the average person in the United States generated ____________ pounds of solid waste per day. A.0.5 B.1.5 C.4.5 D.10.0

C.4.5

6. Which of the following is not something you could do to help protect the Earth? A.Make a compost pile. B.Recycle as much of your waste as possible. C.Run the water while you brush your teeth. D.Use dishes instead of disposable plates.

C.Run the water while you brush your teeth.

4. Which of the following is the least effective way to manage hazardous wastes? A.avoiding the use of products or processes that create hazardous wastes B.converting hazardous wastes to nonhazardous substances C.eliminating hazardous wastes by incinerating them D.reusing existing hazardous waste supplies

C.eliminating hazardous wastes by incinerating them

4. Most of the solid waste produced in the United States is produced by A.households and businesses. B.mining operations. C.manufacturing processes. D.agricultural operations.

C.manufacturing processes.

4. Used materials such as metals and plastics can be treated for reuse through the process of A.burning. B.mining. C.recycling. D.storage.

C.recycling.

2. Many people remind themselves of ways to help the environment by thinking of the three Rs of conservation. Which of the following terms is not likely to be one of the three Rs of conservation? A.recycle B.reduce C.renew D.reuse

C.renew

1. Which of the following statements describes why Americans produce more trash each year? A.Convenience is increasingly valued in American culture. B.The mentality of using a product only one time is more common now than in the past. C.Many people do not know where their trash ends up. D.All of the above

D.All of the above

3. Which of the following statements about most plastics is false? A.Plastics may not decompose for hundreds of years. B.Microorganisms cannot break down the molecular structure of plastics. C.Plastics are made of molecular chains of elements that are not found in nature. D.Almost all products made from plastics are biodegradable.

D.Almost all products made from plastics are biodegradable.

7. Which of the following statements about landfills is true? A.The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act requires that landfills in the United States be properly constructed and maintained to prevent pollution problems. B.Incinerators are a pollution-free alternative to landfills. C.Biodegradable materials break down quickly in modern landfills. D.Many U.S. landfills have been filled to capacity in recent years.

D.Many U.S. landfills have been filled to capacity in recent years.

1. Which of the following is not a way that Nadia reduces her solid-waste production? A.She buys used CDs rather than new ones and prides herself on her unique CD collection. B.She fills a small, reusable container with juice from a much larger bottle rather than using disposable juice boxes. C.She takes good care of a camera she purchased at a garage sale rather than buying a disposable camera each time she wants to take pictures. D.She takes her plastic grocery sacks to a recycling bin at the grocery store.

D.She takes her plastic grocery sacks to a recycling bin at the grocery store.

5. Reusing and recycling are similar for all of the following reasons except that reusing and recycling A.help conserve energy and resources. B.help reduce wastes and pollution. C.help save money. D.involve using the same item more than once.

D.involve using the same item more than once.

5. All of the following are components of most modern landfills except A.monitoring wells and probes. B.compacted solid waste. C.clay and synthetic liners. D.recycling extractors.

D.recycling extractors.

5. Which of the following methods of hazardous waste disposal involves letting water evaporate? A.barrel containment B.composting C.deep-well injection D.surface impoundment

D.surface impoundment

7. Which of the following is not an advantage that photodegradable plastics or green plastics offer over traditional plastics? A.a fuel savings in production B.components that can be biodegraded C.the quality of breaking down more effectively D.the quality of breaking into pieces

D.the quality of breaking into pieces

Requires producers of hazardous waste to keep records of how wastes are handled

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

If an owner of a business illegally dumps hazardous waste, which law allows the EPA to sue the owner and force the owner to pay for the cleanup? a. the Superfund Act b. the Incinerator Act c. RCRA d. the Love Canal Act

a. the Superfund Act

18. An example of something that is biodegradable is a.a leaf in a compost pile. b.a plastic milk jug in a landfill. c.a polystyrene burger container in a trash can. d.All of the above

a.a leaf in a compost pile.

13. Which of the following is not a method of reducing hazardous waste? a.allowing fungi to break down petroleum sludge b.burning toxic substances in specially designe d.using nontoxic beads instead of solvents to clean metal parts d.All of the above

a.allowing fungi to break down petroleum sludge

14. From 1970 to the present, the percentage of waste that is recycled has a.increased from 6.6 percent to 30 percent. b.decreased from 30 percent to 6.6 percent. c.decreased from 35 percent to 19.6 percent. d.remained the same.

a.increased from 6.6 percent to 30 percent.

12. The main problem with so-called biodegradable plastic is that a.only its organic portion actually decomposes. b.animals often choke on the plastic litter that forms. c.it releases toxic compounds as it breaks apart. d.it includes a chemical made by a rare bacterium.

a.only its organic portion actually decomposes.

8. Under the Superfund Act, a.the EPA may sue companies that dump hazardous waste illegally. b.most of the dangerous toxic dump sites in the United States have been cleaned up. c.companies that cannot afford to clean up their hazardous wastes can have the government pay for the cleanup. d.All of the above

a.the EPA may sue companies that dump hazardous waste illegally.

1. Which of the following statements does not describe a problem associated with modern landfills? a. Chemicals leaking out of the waste stored there may pollute wells or groundwater supplies. b. Materials buried in landfills decompose in three years. c. Explosive gases can be produced by landfills and may build up in the basements of nearby buildings. d.All of the above

b. Materials buried in landfills decompose in three years.

Surface impoundment includes which physical process? a. decontamination b. evaporation c. injection d. all of the above

b. evaporation

Solid waste includes all of the following except a. agricultural waste. b. methane. c. plastics. d. food waste.

b. methane.

The ash produced when solid waste is incinerated is____________ than the original solid waste. a. less toxic b. more toxic c. as toxic d. more recyclable

b. more toxic

Which regulation requires producers of hazardous wastes to document how their wastes are handled? a. the Superfund Act b. the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act c. the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) d. the Love Canal Act

b. the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Which of the following is the most important function of a landfill? a. to provide leachate for other industrial processes b. to contain buried waste and prevent it from contaminating the environment. c. to be as inexpensive as possible to build d. all of the above

b. to contain buried waste and prevent it from contaminating the environment.

17. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), what percentage of the approved or proposed Superfund sites have been cleaned up? a.400 out of 1,200 b.341 out of 1,620 c.1,175 out of 1,200 d.None of the above

b.341 out of 1,620

5. Which of the following correctly describes the disposal of waste by composting? a.Composting is a good way for individuals to reduce the amount of garbage they send to landfills, but large-scale composting is impractical. b.Composting could reduce the amount of waste that restaurants, food-processing plants, and animal feedlots send to landfills. c.Compost made from glass and plastics can be recycled and used as building materials. d.Yard wastes, such as grass clippings, are not suitable for composting because they contain low levels of nutrients.

b.Composting could reduce the amount of waste that restaurants, food-processing plants, and animal feedlots send to landfills.

19. Which of the following is not a requirement for a landfill built today? a.It must be lined with clay and plastic. b.It must be a specified distance from a city or other populated area. c.It must have systems for collecting and treating leachate. d.Vent pipes must be installed for removing methane.

b.It must be a specified distance from a city or other populated area

Which of the following would not reduce the amount of municipal solid waste going to landfills? a. composting yard waste b.eliminating recycling programs c.reusing products d.all of the above

b.eliminating recycling programs

20. Which of the following are problems associated with landfills? a.source reduction and composting b.leachate and methane production c.surface impoundment and leachate d.All of the above

b.leachate and methane production

7. Which of the following is not considered hazardous waste? a.dead batteries such as those used in flashlights and radios b.rotting meat and other food waste c.metals such as lead and mercury d.Both (a) and (c)

b.rotting meat and other food waste

16. Which regulation requires producers of hazardous wastes to document how their wastes are handled? a.the Superfund Act b.the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act c.the Landfill Act d.the Hazardous Waste Act

b.the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Can be broken down by biological processes

biodegradable

4. What percentage of the energy needed to make aluminum cans from ore is needed to make recycled aluminum cans from used aluminum cans? a.95 percent b.60 percent c.5 percent d.None of the above

c.5 percent

10. Which of the following is a true statement about recycling? a.It takes more energy to make steel from scrap than from newly mined ore. b.Cities have never had trouble finding buyers for their recycled materials. c.After they are collected, recyclable materials are cleaned and processed. d.All of the above

c.After they are collected, recyclable materials are cleaned and processed.

3. Which items make up the largest percentage of waste produced by households and businesses? a.aluminum cans b.plastic bottles and packaging c.paper products d.yard waste, such as grass clippings and tree limbs

c.paper products

An example of source reduction is a.composting. b.recycling. c.using canvas shopping bags. d.All of the above

c.using canvas shopping bags.

Nutrient-rich material made from decomposed plant and animal materials

compost

Any discarded solid material

d. solid waste

One disadvantage of biodegradable plastic is that a. it has to be blended with plant sugars in order to be useful. b. it has to be left in the sun for months before it can begin to degrade. c. it is toxic and useful only in industry. d. the plastic parts are reduced to smaller pieces but are not completely degraded.

d. the plastic parts are reduced to smaller pieces but are not completely degraded.

6. Which of the following correctly describes biodegradable plastics? a.Some plastics are designed to deteriorate when exposed to sunlight. b.Plastic that contains sugars can be broken down by soil bacteria. c.Degradable plastics usually break down into smaller pieces of plastic. d.All of the above

d.All of the above

2. According to the text, what is the most helpful thing that a consumer can do to make sure that more materials are recycled? a.Encourage friends and neighbors to recycle their newspapers. b.Carefully wash and sort all materials put out for recycling. c.Write letters to legislators asking that recycling be made mandatory. d.Make an effort to buy products made from recycled materials whenever possible.

d.Make an effort to buy products made from recycled materials whenever possible.

11. The process of composting a.uses synthetic materials. b.has little potential to conserve landfill space. c.is always carried out in city-run facilities. d.could effectively handle a variety of wastes.

d.could effectively handle a variety of wastes.

9. The methane found in landfills is a gas that a.is produced when wastes react with oxygen. b.must be pumped to the surface in leachate pipes. c.is a major contaminant of groundwater supplies. d.may be captured and used to produce energy.

d.may be captured and used to produce energy.

Any toxic, corrosive, or explosive waste

hazardous waste

Facility for burning trash

incinerator

Place to dispose of waste by burying it

landfill

Water that contains dissolved chemicals from wastes that have been buried

leachate

Rocks and minerals left over from excavation and processing

mining waste

Process used for disposing of wastes involving a pond with a sealed bottom

surface impoundment