Chapter 17 Flashcards
waste
any unwanted material that results from a human activity
waste management
decision making to minimize the amount of waste generated and to dispose of waste safely
municipal solid waste
is nonliquid waste that comes from homes, institutions, and small businesses
industrial solid waste
from production of goods, mining, agriculture, petroleum extraction and refining.
hazardous waste
solid or liquid waste that is toxic, chemically reactive, flammable, or corrosive
wastewater
from a household, business, or industry, or polluted runoff from streets and storm drains
waste stream
the flow of waste as it moves from its sources to its disposal
how many lbs of trash do US citizens generate per day?
1,500 lbs
leachate
liquid from trash dissolved by rainwater
how long must leachate systems be maintained?
30 years
What are the 3 criteria for a landfill?
They must be located away from wetlands, earthquake-prone faults, and 20 feet above the water table.
Incineration
A controlled process that burns garbage at very high temperatures
scrubbers
chemically treat emissions to remove hazardous chemicals and neutralize acidic gases
fly ash
particulate matter that can be very toxic
baghouse
huge filters that physically remove fly ash
NIMBY
Not In My Backyard
drawbacks to landfills
liners can be punctured, leachate collection systems aren’t always kept up, and it takes decades for waste to decay.
waste-to-energy facilities
use the heat produced by waste combustion to create electricity
landfill gas
bacterial decomposition that creates a mix of gases that consists of 50% methane
composting
the conversion of organic waste into mulch or humus through natural decomposition
municipal composting programs
divert food and yard waste from the waste stream to central composting facilities
recycling
1, collection of recyclable materials through curbside recycling. 2, using recyclables to produce new goods. 3, consumers buy goods made from recycled materials
materials recovery facilities
workers and machines sort, clean, shred, and prepare items
pay as you throw
residents are charged with how much trash they put out
bottle bills
consumers receive a refund for returning used bottles and cans to stores
industrial ecology
reducing resource inputs while maximizing physical and economic efficiency.
life-cycle analysis
examines the life cycle of a product to make the process more ecologically efficient
what are 4 categories of hazardous material?
ignitable(natural gas) , corrosive, reactive (explosive), and toxic.
what is the largest source of unregulated hazardous waste?
Households
What are synthetic organic compounds?
they resist bacterial, fungal, and insect activity like plastics, tires, pesticides, and solvents.
examples of heavy metals
lead, chromium, mercury, and arsenic
Why are heavy metals a concern?
they enter the environment when they are disposed of improperly, and they bioaccumulate because they are fat soluble
e-waste
electronic waste like computers, printers, and cell phones.
why should we recycle e-waste?
67% of them that are discarded still work, and they should be treated as hazardous waste, valuable trace minerals can be recovered
RCRA
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and is the law that creates the framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste.
surface impoundment
shallow depressions lined with plastic and clay that store hazardous waste, liquid evaporates, solid is transported for disposal
deep-well injection
a well is drilled deep beneath the water table and waste is injected into it (can corrode and leak)
CERCLA aka Superfund
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act. This law established a federal program to clean up US sites polluted with hazardous waste aka superfund
Brownfields
lands whose reuse or development is complicated by the presence of hazardous materials
Which two events spurred creation of the Superfund legislation?
Love Canal, Times Beach, and Louisville Kentucky.
the superfund process
EPA scientists note how close the site is to human habitation, if wastes are currently confined or likely to spread, and if the site threatens drinking water
Who pays for cleanup?
CERCLA charges polluting parties for cleanup, and a trust fund was established by a federal tax on petroleum but this fund is not bankrupt so taxpayers pay for cost of cleanup
How long does a cleanup take, and how much does it cost?
15 years and 25 million
environment
the combination of physical, chemical, and biological factors that affect the individual
hazard
anything that can cause injury, death, disease, or deterioration
vulnerability
a measure of susceptibility
risk
probability of suffering a loss as a result of exposure to a hazard. Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability
morbidity
incidence of disease in a population
mortality
incidence of death in a population
epidemiology
study of presence, distribution, and control of disease in a population
health
“a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” - World Health Organization
mutagen
any substance that can mutate DNA
carcinogen
any mutagenic substance that tends to cause cancer
teratogen
anything that can cause birth defects like radiation, drugs, or certain viruses
toxic
generally refers to anything poisonous
toxicology
the study of how poisonous chemicals affect the health of humans and other organisms
2 ways to consider risk
the probability of something going wrong and the negative consequences if it does
top 3 causes of mortality in developed countries
cancer, cardiovascular, other/unknown
top 3 causes of mortality in least developed countries
communicable diseases, cardiovascular, other/unknown
top 3 causes of mortality worldwide
cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, and cancers.
top 5 global risk factors
underweight, unsafe sex, blood pressure, tobacco, and alcohol
4 main types of environmental hazards
physical hazards (natural disasters), biological hazards (viruses), chemical hazards, and cultural hazards (smoking)
Leading causes of mortality from major infectious diseases
respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases
urbanization
the movement of people from rural to urban areas
industrialization
the development of industries in a region on a wide scale
what factors help a city succeed?
climate, topography, and waterways influence the location of urban areas
why did people of US move away from cities and out to suburbs?
more space, economic opportunities, and less crime.
urban sprawl
the spread of low-density development outward from an urban center
two major components of urban sprawl
population growth and per capita land consumption, and more people want space and privacy
5 main problems with sprawl
transportation, pollution, sprawl promotes physical inactivity, land use, and economics
what is urban planning and why is it important?
designing cities to maximize their efficiency, functionality, and beauty. City planning helped plan our nations capitol.
zoning
classifies areas for different types of development and land use
urban growth boundary (ugb)
they limit sprawl, keep growth in urbanized areas, and reduce infrastructure costs.
3 major components of waste management
1 minimizing the amount of waste we generate, 2 recovering discarded materials and recycling them, and 3 disposing of waste safely
how many ingredients in cigarettes are known to be carcinogenic?
74 chemicals are known to be carcinogenic and cigarettes contain 43 of those chemicals
two main approaches to how new substances are brought to the market
innocent until proven guilty approach and the precautionary principle; bringing substances to the market after extensive testing
endocrine disruptor
chemicals that mimic hormone molecules by binding to a cellular receptor for the hormone
top 3 cultural hazards in the US
tobacco, blood pressure, and alcohol.
“the risk of being poor?”
one major pathway to hazards is poverty, no money for health insurance, higher probability of exposure to environmental hazards
what is risk assessment?
the process of evaluating the risk associated with a hazard
The 4 parts of risk assessment
hazard assessment (what chemicals cause cancer?), dose-responses (how much?), exposure assessment (how long?), risk characterization (how many will die?)
What happened at Love Canal? How is it connected to CERCLA? Who was responsible?
Families were evacuated after buried chemicals rose to the surface, CERCLA charges polluting parties for cleanup, and Occidental Chemical Corp is responsible.
precautionary principle
lack of certainty should not be used as a reason for preventing environmental degredation/hazards
regional planning
is like city planning but with broader geographic scales, also coordinate with multiple municipal governments
smart growth
rejuvenates existing developed areas, building up, not out, multistory shops and high rises
greenways
along rivers, streams, or canals, and protect water quality
parklands
natural lands, public parks, regulate climate
green buildings
minimize their ecological footprint and are built from sustainable materials
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
a certification program where new or existing buildings can be granted silver, gold, or platinum status.
urban sustainability
minimizes impacts on natural systems and functions over long term
Cons of large urban centers
they export waste through pollution and trade, and residents are exposed to chemicals and smog.
Pros of large urban centers
cities allow quick delivery of goods and services, water and sewer systems, and waste disposal
urban heat island effect
cities are hotter than surrounding areas. dark paved surfaces absorb daytime heat and then release it slowly at night
urban ecology
cities should mimic ecosystems, recycle, and offer incentives for sustainable practice.
what is released when trash is burned?
hazardous chemicals like dioxins, heavy metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls.
how much energy does trash generate compared to coal, when burned?
About 35%
Who regulates msw, and who regulates isw?
the federal government regulates msw, and state and local governments regulate isw
The Swiss Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives Foundation (ZERI)
sponsors dozens of innovative projects worldwide that attempt to create goods and services without generating waste
what are the 3 primary means of hazardous waste disposal?
Landfills, surface impoundments, and injection wells
gentrification
the transformation of a neighborhood to conditions that cater to wealthier people
chemical elements
substances that contain one kind of atom and cannot be separated into simpler substances
chemical compounds
formed by the combination of two or more elements
organic chemicals
chemicals that contain carbon
half-life
the rate at which a chemical degrades
inorganic chemicals
contain salt, asbestos, silicates, and minerals like iron, aluminum, and phosphorus.
natural chemicals
chemicals that are found occurring in the environment which are not introduced by humans
synthetic chemicals
those which are developed by humans
