Environmental Ch.19

Biodegradable

Able to break down naturallly

Recycling

Collected materials that can be broken down and reprocessed into new materials

Incineration

Controlled process in which mixed garbage is burned at very high temps

Composting

Converse of organic waste into mulch or humus through natural biological processes

Of the three methods of hazardous waste disposal, which one do you believe is the safest? Explain

Deep well injection because waste is drilled so deep into the ground it doesn't have contact with humans and is isolated from groundwater

E-waste

Electronic equipment or appliances that is no longer being used

Sanitary landfill

Facility in which waste is buried in the ground or piled in a large engineered mound

Why is radioactive waste so dangerous?

High Level waste is dangerous to handle and dispose of safety while low level waste is more common in the environment which in return causes more dangers than we know (Because of the long half-life of many elements in radioactive waste, radioactive wastes are difficult to dispose of safely)

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

Household hazards; i.e.: paint, batteries, pesticides

Leachate

Liquid that forms in land field as trash dissolves in rain or snow

Deep well Injection

Method of wasted espousal where waste is pumped into a well that has been drilled deep beneath the water table

Municipal solid waste

No liquid waste that comes from homes, institutions, and small businesses

MRF (Materials Recovery Facility)

Plants where collected recyclables are sorted and prepared for reprocessing

Do the costs of incineration outweigh the benefits? (Hint: Prepare a cost-benefit analysis to help you answer the question.)

Pros: removes most pollutants from emission, reduces volume and weight of trash, generates electricity Cons: reducing volume and weight doesn't remove toxins, hazardous chemicals can be created and released when trash is burned

How does recycling save energy and money?*

Recycling saves energy because the products being recycled usually require much less processing to turn them into usable materials. Recycling saves money by reducing the costs of production during manufacturing through the use of already gathered raw materials

Surface impoundment

Shallow pit used to hold liquid and semisolid waste

Hazardous waste

Solid or liquid waste that is toxic, chemically reactivate, flammable, or corrosive

Source reduction

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

Who should be responsible for cleaning up brownfields? Explain*

The person responsible for disposing the waste should be held responsible and clean the area. The CERCLA was made to charge these parties however the responsible parties usually cannot be found or held liable so the EPA administrators clean the waste up.

Superfund

US gov program to clean up hazardous waste

Waste

Unwanted material or substance produced by organisms activity or process

Define waste. What are the three main categories of waste

Unwanted material or substance produced by organisms activity or process 1. Municipal solid waste 2. Hazardous waste 3. Industrial waste

Industrial waste

Waste that comes from the production of consumer goods, mining, agriculture, etc

Radioactive waste

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

What is hazardous waste?

Waste that is ignitable, corrosive, chemically reactive, or toxic is considered to be hazardous waste

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

Will lower the cost of disposal and recycling, produce less pollution and conserve resources

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

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