NEW
Font size
WorksheetsAP Environmental Science Toxins and Diseases and Waste
Total questions: 17
Worksheet time: 9mins
Recycling aluminum cans reduces the amount of energy needed to produce new aluminum cans from raw materials by 95%. Calculate the number of aluminum cans that can be made from recycled aluminum by using the same amount of energy as is needed to make one can from raw materials
1
2
20
10
5
E-Waste is often labeled as material to be recycled and sent to undeveloped countries where workers recover a small amount of valuable metals from the discarded e-waste. The remainder of the e-waste is then burned or dumped in landfills where it releases toxic pollutants such as dioxins. The process allows the companies that do it to bypass the
Resource conservation and Recovery Act
Kyoto Protocol
Clean Air Act
Non-Proliferation Treaty
International Basel Convention
By definition, hazardous wastes can have all of the following properties EXCEPT
flammability
corrosiveness
insolubility in water
disease causing potential
explosiveness
One method to remove contaminants such as cesium-134 from surface soil would be
to use phytoremediation, allowing plants roots to absorb toxins
to use a plasma arc torch to incinerate the toxins
to create a surface impoundment with a liner to contain the wastes
by burning the soil in a very hot incinerator then returning it to the site
by spaying the surface with genetically engineered bacteria designed to decompose petroleum by-products
One of the primary concerns of the 12 Persistent Organic Pollutants such as dioxins or PCBs is that they
are soluble in water, causing large-scale problems
can be concentrated in the fatty tissue of organisms
are rarely found but very toxic
are found only in plants and disrupt photosynthesis
quickly breakdown into other more harmful pollutants
The majority of solid waste generated in the United States is in what form?
Solid matter produced by mines, farms, and industries that produce goods
Radioactive waste generated by nuclear power plants
Toxic waste such as car batteries, hospital medical waste, and industrial solvents
E-waste from electronic devices such as televisions, computers, and cell phones
Solid matter such as food, yard wastes, plastics, and paper discarded by homes and businesses
All of the following are considered to be benefits of recycling EXCEPT
reduction of the emission of greenhouse gasses
reduction of energy used in obtaining and processing raw materials
protection of biodiversity
being the cheapest way to dispose of solid waste
promotion of well-being around people who recycle
One of the keys to dealing with the problem of solid waste is waste reduction. Which of the following is a form of waste reduction?
Burying municipal solid waste in a sanitary landfill
Incinerating waste to produce electricty
Shipping E-Waste to China for disposal
Separating out and composting yard waste
Dumping nontoxic waste offshore in the oceans
The phrase "reduce, reuse, recycle" is a popular phrase in today's society. All of the following are means of reducing, reusing, and recycling EXCEPT
Using email or texting in place of conventional mail
reading newspapers and magazines online
utilizing disposable plastic in place of paper bags
donating or selling used items
buying products in bulk whenever possible
One of the major disadvantages of recycling goods is that
Landfill operators must charge more momey for trash delivery because they are receiving less of it
approximately 55% of the trees cut down make paper are saved when paper is recycled
marine mammals and sea turtles mistake floating plastic for food or get caught it in
recycling may cost more than burying trash in landfills in areas with ample space
energy is saved and less pollution is produced when we recycle than when raw materials are removed from the earth
The majority of municipal solid waste in the United States is composed of
plasticv
paper
metal
glass
yard waste
Leachate from a municipal waste sanitary landfill is often pretreated before it can enter a wastewater treatment plant because
I. The nutrient content is too high
II. It contains radioactive materials that will destroy bacteria colonies at the wastewater treatment plant
III. It contains floating and insoluble MSW products
I only
II only
III only
I and II
I, II and III
Many environmental scientists advocate that the best and cheapest way to deal with solid waste is to
transport the waste to landfills and bury it
reduce the amount of waste produced in the first place
incinerate the waste to generate electricity
pass more laws and treaties with tighter controls on emissions of pollutants
establish grassroots organizations advocating fewer landfills
Brownfields are areas of concern to environmentalists. Which of the following best describes an area classified as a brownfield?
A mine for mineral sources that are found on the leeward side of mountains
a processing facility where hazardous material is taken to be detoxified
a deep underground well where liquid hazardous wastes are stored
an abandoned industrial site has soil, water, or air pollution
an agricultural area that has turned brown due to lack of rainier disease
Integrated waste management is a technique used by communities to provide ways of dealing of municipal waste. All of the following are components of IWM EXCEPT
burying all materials in sanitary landfills
reusing waste products
recycling waste products
providing composting areas for yard wastes
incinerating waste that is suitable for incineration
Like all means of waste disposal, deep well injection of hazardous waste has both advantages and disadvantages. Which of the following is a disadvantage of deep-well injection?
It is not suitable in any environment
Well casings can leak
It often causes toxic runoff
It often releases chlorine and hydrogen gas
It is very expensive
What is the primary concern of most people when a trash incinerator is proposed to be built in their neighborhood?
Air Pollution from the incinerator
The use of waste ash in products such as road construction materials or cement blocks
People producing more trash because the incinerators require a large amount of trash to be profitable
The initial cost of building and incinerator
The disposal of tires and other products that cannot be incinerated
