Chap. 19 Environmental

paint thinner, solvents

2 examples of ignitable waste

recycling

the collection of materials that can be broken down and reprocessed to make new items

composting

the conversion of organic wastes into mulch or humus through natural biological processes of decomposition

leachate

the liquid that forms in a landfill as trash dissolves in rain or snow; a source of groundwater contamination

landfill

the most common place to dispose of hazardous waste

dump, bury, burn

three ways people dispose of waste

hazardous waste

refers to solid or liquid waste that is toxic, chemically reactive, flammable, or corrosive

e-waste

electronic equipment and appliances that are no longer being used; also called electronic waste

degrade water quality, soil quality, and air quality which degrades human health and the environment

3 ways trash can affect living things

biodegradable

able to decompose or break down naturally

radioactive waste

waste that gives off radiation that is harmful to humans and the environment

heavy metals

what class of hazardous waste can be fat soluble and accumulate in the tissues of animals?

source reduction

when we reduce the amount of waste, we lower the costs of disposal and recycling & conserve resources and produce less pollution

sanitary landfills

where waste is buried in the ground or piled up in large, carefully engineered mounds; designed to prevent contamination of groundwater and to reduce soil and air pollution

waste

any unwanted material or substance produced by an organism's activity or process

The Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)

established a program known as the Superfund to clean up hazardous waste sites

plastic

since the 1970s, these products have accommadated for a significant increase in solid waste

source reduction

steps taken to lessen both the amount and toxicity of waste before a product or material becomes waste

NEMBY (Not-In-My-Back-Yard)

term meaning people do not want a landfill near them

superfund

the U.S. government's program to clean up hazardous waste sites

it can be an economic loss. the expense required to collect, sort, and process recycled goods is often more than recyclables are worth on the market

Name one limit of recycling

reduce packaging, reduce use of nonbiodegradable plastics, design goods to last

3 ways you can reduce the amount of trash you produce

1) buy items that use less packaging 2) buying durable, rather than nondurable goods 3) support the ban of certain plastics that are not biodegradable 4) return glass bottles to stores or collection facilities instead of throwing them away

4 ways to achieve source reduction? (help reduce waste)

yes b/c they would be stored deep in the ground like they're supposed to and deep-wells are used for long-term storage

Can deep-well injection be used for radioactive waste disposal?

The only real benefit of incineration is that trash is eliminated more easily, but even as that is occurring, more chemicals are being released and puts people and the environment into danger. So yes the costs outweigh the benefits

Do the costs of incineration outweigh the benefits?

if the holes aren't drilled past the aquifers. could corrode and leak into aquifers and contaminate them if not. has to be drilled into porous rock.

Explain how an injection well could fail

Yes, in the 11 states where bottle bills have been enacted, they have been very popular and effective. Beverage container litter has decreased by 69-84% and their total litter had decreased by 30-64%

Have bottle bills been successful? Explain.

b/c they don't decompose or break down naturally, they aren't biodegradable, so they can build up into major sources of waste and litter

How can plastic grocery bags damage the environment?

they can either be very positive or very negative. for the new york landfill decision, closing it and moving it's trash to other locations ended up doubling the city sanitation department's budget and the city raised taxes. citizens then began to resent the increase in taxes and suggested reopening the landfill.

How do our choices as consumers and waste producers affect our environment?

saves enough energy to power 6 million households per year & recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy required to make the same amount of aluminum from its source material; these power sources have allowed markets to expand and new business opportunities to arise and build a sustainable economy. It allows you to reuse products instead of having to buy new ones = saving money

How does recycling save energy and money?

No, because the underlying layer of the hole can crack and leak waste. Harmful substances may evaporate or get blown into surrounding areas and rainstorms can cause waste to overflow and contaminate nearby areas so it's only a temporary storage solution

Is surface impoundment a permanent storage solution? Explain.

Characteristics: ignitable, corrosive, chemically reactive, toxic Forms: liquid, solid, sludge, gas

List the characteristics of hazardous waste (4 forms & 4 characteristics)

1) collection and processing of recyclable materials by municipalities and businesses 2) use of recyclables by industry to manufacture new products 3) consumer purchase of products made from recycled materials

List the three steps in the recycling process

we lower the costs of disposal and recycling, we conserve resources, and produce less pollution

What are the benefits of reducing the amount of waste we generate?

1) municipal solid waste 2) industrial waste 3) hazardous waste

What are the three main categories of waste?

1) landfills 2) surface impoundments 3) injection wells

What are the three main ways to dispose of hazardous waste?

Benefits: 1) prevent contamination of groundwater 2) reduce soil and air pollution Costs: 1) scared that leachate will eventually escape, the landfills are kept dry which slows waste decomposition 2) it is hard to find suitable areas to locate landfills because most communities don't want them nearby

What are two benefits and two costs of landfills?

radioactive wastes that emit large amounts of radiation; dangerous to handle and dispose of; stored in tanks outside nuclear power plants Ex: wastes from nuclear power plants

What is high-level radioactive waste and give an example of it

radioactive wastes that aren't as powerful as high-level radioactive wastes; pose less known danger than high-level but they are more common and may cause more danger than we know Ex: wastes from hospitals, laboratories, uranium mines, and contaminated clothing of nuclear power plant workers

What is low-level radioactive waste and give 4 examples of it

households

What is the largest source of unregulated hazardous waste in the United States?

paper products

What type of material is the largest single contributor to municipal solid waste?

the ash remaining after trash is incinerated must be disposed of in landfills which ends up polluting the air and makes the landfills toxic

When it comes to solid waste disposal, how does incineration affect landfills?

b/c of the long half-life of many elements in radioactive waste. They must be sealed in containers that will not corrode for thousands of years and these must be stored deep under ground

Why are radioactive wastes difficult to dispose of safely?

Recycling saves enough energy to power 6 million households per year and recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy required to make the same amount of aluminum. These methods are key to building a sustainable economy.

Why does reusing items make sense environmentally and economically?

b/c they are found just about everywhere; they can damage ecosystems & pollute the atmosphere. you have to be very careful where you dispose of them

Why is it so difficult to clean up hazardous waste sites?

Because it can degrade water quality, soil quality, and air quality aka degrading human health and the environment; it is also a measure of inefficiency, so reducing waste can potentially save industries, municipalities, and consumers both money and resources. it is also ugly to look at

Why is it so important to reduce the amount of our waste?

incineration

a controlled process in which mixed garbage is burned at very high temperatures

deep-well injection

a method of hazardous waste disposal in which the waste is pumped into a well that has been drilled deep beneath the water table, into porous rock

surface impoundment

a shallow pit, often lined with plastic, that is used to hold liquid or semisolid hazardous wastes

reactive

classification for chemically unstable substances

e-waste

classification for computers, cell phones, printers, etc.

toxic

classification for substances that are harmful or fatal if ingested or inhaled

corrosive

classification for substances that can eat through metal containers

ignitable

classification for waste that easily catches on fire

enriches it

composting does this to soil

durable

goods that are designed to last for more than 3 years

municipal solid waste

nonliquid waste that comes from homes, institutions, and small businesses

Material recovery facilities (MRFs)

places where collected recyclables are sorted and prepared for reprocessing

bottle bills

policy that allows people to return empty bottles and cans to stores for cash

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) EPA

these two organizations/acts set standards by which states are to manage hazardous waste

1) high-level 2) low-level

two types of radioactive waste

industrial waste

waste that comes from the production of consumer goods, mining, agriculture, and petroleum extraction and refining