AP Environmental Science Toxins and Diseases and Waste

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-3

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

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