History of Waste Management Quiz

Which ancient civilization had dumps that exploded occasionally and burned, and also practiced recycling?

• Greek Civilization

• Roman Empire

• Egyptian Empire

• Maya Civilization

In which city was the first municipal dump in the Western world found around 500 BC?

• Athens

• Rome

• Paris

• London

What was the defining legislation for Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) practice in America in 1976?

• Waste Management Act

• Clean Air Act

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

• Environmental Protection Act

What was the concept developed in Great Britain in the 1920s that involved alternating layers of waste and non-putrefying material?

• Open Dumping

• Land Disposal

• Sanitary Landfill

• Controlled Tipping

Who introduced controls on waste generation, collection, transportation, processing, incineration, and landfilling in the New York City sanitation department from 1895-1898?

• George Clinton

• George Bush

• George Warring

• George Washington

In which year did New Amsterdam (now New York City) pass a law against casting waste in the streets?

• 1957

• 1857

• 1757

• 1657

What did the Rivers and Harbour Appropriation Act of 1899 require regarding the discharge of refuse in navigable waters?

• Discharge freely

• Get permits

• No regulations

• No discharge allowed

Which act in 1965 required to provide federal research and financial assistance to encourage states to improve their waste management?

• Environmental Protection Act

• Clean Water Act

• Resource Recovery Act

• Solid Waste Disposal Act

What did the Resource Recovery Act of 1970 shift the focus towards?

• Landfilling

• Recovery of material energy resources

• Recycling

• Disposal

In the American colonies, what mitigated against massive sanitation problems even in cities?

• Lack of waste generation

• Strict regulations

• Abundance of land and natural resources

• Advanced waste management systems