APES Exam Review-- CH 19

22. 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.

5. 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 c. 5 percent b. 60 percent d. None of the above

c. 5 percent

15. 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 designed incinerators c. using nontoxic beads instead of solvents to clean metal parts d. All of the above

a. allowing fungi to break down petroleum sludge

16. A common characteristic of all hazardous-waste land-disposal facilities is that they a. are long-term storage sites. b. make use of deep-well injection. c. pose no threat to the environment. d. are not regulated by state or federal laws.

a. are long-term storage sites.

17. From 1970 to the present, the percentage of waste that is recycled has a. increased from 6.6 percent to 28 percent. b. decreased from 28 percent to 6.6 percent. c. decreased from 28 percent to 19.6 percent. d. remained the same.

a. increased from 6.6 percent to 28 percent.

3. Which of the following produces the most solid waste? a. manufacturing c. agriculture b. plastic packaging d. nuclear power plants

a. manufacturing

14. 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.

9. 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.

21. 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 c. 1,175 out of 1,200 b. 75 out of 1,200 d. None of the above

b. 75 out of 1,200

6. 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.

23. 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.

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.

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

b. leachate and methane production

19. Making products from recycled materials a. is limited to metals. b. often saves energy and other resources during the manufacturing process. c. uses so much energy that it is not economically workable. d. None of the above

b. often saves energy and other resources during the manufacturing process.

8. 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

10. Some hazardous waste is disposed of by deep-well injection. This procedure a. pollutes the wells and water supplies of nearby residents. b. stores wastes in layers of dry rock below the water table. c. violates federal law. d. All of the above

b. stores wastes in layers of dry rock below the water table.

20. 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

12. 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.

25. A material is biodegradable if a. it is made of synthetic material. b. it is made from petroleum or natural gas. c. it can be broken down by biological processes. d. if can be disposed of in a landfill.

c. it can be broken down by biological processes.

4. 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

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

c. using canvas shopping bags.

7. 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.

13. 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.

11. 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.