ESS Chapter 8: Human systems and resource use

Question 1

Solid Domestic Waste

Answer 1

Household solid waste includes:

•	Biodegradable
•	Recyclable
•	WEEE (electrical/electronic equipment)
•	Hazardous
•	Toxic
•	Medical
•	Inert
•	Mixed

The volume and composition of SDW vary over time, but it steadily increases with population growth.

Question 2

Electronic waste (e-waste)

Answer 2

Trash comprising of digital materials, such as old computers and phones, is highly toxic as it contaminates land, water, and air. Its volume is rapidly increasing due to fast technological advances.

Question 3

Recycling

Answer 3

Properly sorting trash so that it can be reused. This is mostly done in MEDCs because it’s more expensive than just throwing all of the trash together and e.g. burning it.

Question 4

Composting

Answer 4

This is the decomposition of biodegradable material. Very useful for organic waste, but has the same cons as recycling.

Question 5

Evaluation of landfilling SDW

Answer 5

• Inexpensive.
• Space will eventually run out.
• Living near landfills can cause health issues and birth defects.
• Decomposing biodegradable waste releases methane.
• Leaching chemicals and heavy metals can pollute soil and groundwater.

Question 6

Evaluating incinerating SDW: Burning the waste, converting it into ash and gas particulates.

Answer 6

• Heat can generate electricity.
• Incinerators reduce waste volume by 80-90%.
• Safely disposes of clinical and hazardous waste.

Question 7

Limitations of inceneration

Answer 7

1. It causes air pollution by releasing CO2, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
   
   2. More traffic from trucks transporting SDW to incinerators increases air and noise pollution.
   3. The toxic ash left after burning must be stored, often in landfills.
   4. It’s costly.

Question 8

Strategies for managing SDW

Answer 8

• Altering human activity: Reduce consumption and compost food waste.
• Controlling pollutant release: Governments promote recycling, reuse, and impose taxes on SDW collection and disposable items.
• Reclaiming landfills: Use SDW for energy programs and remove plastics from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Question 9

The Great Pacific Garbage

Answer 9

A patch of plastic waste three times the size of Spain and Portugal floats in the North Pacific gyre.
While plastic can be collected from beaches, there are few near the GPGP. Cleanup methods like booms or vacuuming are impractical due to the area’s size, making them slow and costly. It’s more important to control pollution to prevent further damage.

Question 10

Problems caused by plastic

Answer 10

• Plastic pollution harms beaches, reducing tourism and recreation income.
• It entangles marine animals, causing drowning, strangulation, and immobility.
• Plastic destroys habitats when washed ashore.
• Plastics can clog ships’ propellers and keels, increasing maintenance costs.
• Plastics never fully break down, becoming smaller over time and serving as a medium for invasive species.