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Environmental Science > Pollution: solid waste > Flashcards

Pollution: solid waste Flashcards

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1
Q

What is solid waste?

A

waste in solid form released by human activity onto land

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2
Q

What are some examples of solid waste?

A

Domestic waste
Specialised solid waste
Radioactive waste
Asbestos and cyanide

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3
Q

What are some examples of domestic waste?

A

food waste
Single use plastics
Clothes
Electronics
Medicines/ sanitary products
Cleaning detergent
Garden waste
Batteries

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4
Q

what are the 4 main ways to deal with domestic waste?

A

Landfill
Incineration
Recycling
Composting

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5
Q

What is landfill?

A

huge hole in the ground
Leachates are collected
Methane may also be collected and burned
May involve land raising

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6
Q

What are the benefits of landfill?

A

Provides a use for waste/ derelict land
Land can be used after landfill sealed

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7
Q

What are the negatives of landfill?

A

Air pollution- CO2, CH4
Leachates
Traffic (bin lorries)
Litter/ seagulls

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8
Q

What is happening to total waste sent to landfill?

A

Declining

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9
Q

What are the benefits of salvaging and recycling besides reducing waste?

A

saves money and natural resources

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10
Q

What is an example of recycling/ salvaging saving natural resources?

A

Aluminium
collecting and re-melting/ remoulding metals cut offs

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11
Q

What is a production loop?

A

recycling process where an industry uses the wastes produced during the manufacturing process its self

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12
Q

What is resources substitution?

A

the use of a more abundant material instead of less abundant ones e.g., plastic instead of metal

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13
Q

What ore does aluminium come from?

A

Bauxite

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14
Q

What is aluminium used for?

A

Cans and aircraft

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15
Q

Why is aluminium used?

A

It’s light and strong

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16
Q

Where is most aluminium mined?

A

Jamaica

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17
Q

What are the social, economic and environmental consequences if aluminium mining on Jamaica?

A

Villages relocated
Top soil removed
Forests/ crops cleared
Bauxite recovered using opencast mines
Bauxite dissolved in sodium hydroxide using high temperature and pressure
Alumina precipitated out

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18
Q

What are the benefits of recycling aluminium?

A

saves fossil fuels (90-97% energy reduction)
Reduces air pollution (95%)
Reduces water pollution (97%)
Reduces water use

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19
Q

What are the problems with recycling aluminium?

A

Public motivation
Aluminium often used in alloy- separating metals expensive
Collection and transport costs
Labour costs- collection often labour intensive

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20
Q

Where does incineration of domestic waste mainly done?

A

Sweden

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21
Q

How many billion tonnes of waste go to landfill each year?

A

2 billion

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22
Q

How much of Sweden’s garbage goes to lanfill?

A

1%

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23
Q

How much of Sweden’s garbage is recycled?

A

47%

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24
Q

How much of Sweden’s garbage is used to generate electricity?

A

52%

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25
Q

How does trash to electricity work?

A

trash burned
steam produced
turns turbine
generates electricity

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26
Q

How many tonnes of UK’s waste is exported to Sweden?

A

2.3 million

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27
Q

What are the advantages of burning domestic waste?

A

Reduces volume
Can provide electricity and district heating

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28
Q

What are the disadvantages of burning domestic waste?

A

Air pollution- particulates
Ash toxic and still requires disposal
High capital cost

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29
Q

What is compost?

A

Produced from waste plant material e.g., grass cutting, fallen leaves and vegetable waste by action of aerobic microorganisms

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30
Q

What does compost consist of?

A

partly decomposed organic material that is rich in minerals e.g., nitrates

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31
Q

What does rate of compost production depend on?

A

Temperature
Moisture content
Aeration

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32
Q

What occurs when microorganisms respire in compost?

A

heat is generated which kills weed seeds and some plant pathogens

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33
Q

Why does compost temperature drop in weeks 9-14?

A

Reduced food available for microorganisms
More competition so growth rate reduced
Less oxygen becomes available
Change in water/ pH slows growth

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34
Q

What are some examples of specialist solid wastes?

A

Asbestos
Cyanide

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35
Q

What are specialist wastes?

A

highly polluting waste products that are very hazardous and must be disposed of seperately

36
Q

What is asbestos?

A

term for a group of minerals of microscopic fibres

37
Q

What was asbestos previously used for?

A

used in buildings for insultation, flooring and roofing and sprayed on ceilings and walls

38
Q

Is asbestos still used in the UK?

A

No it is banned

39
Q

When does asbestos become a problem?

A

when the asbestos containing materials are damaged or disturbed so that tiny asbestos fibres can be released into the air and breathed into your lungs

40
Q

What health problem can asbestos cause?

A

Cancer called mesothelioma (breathing asbestos dust)

41
Q

What is the problem with mesothelioma?

A

fluid builds up in heart, lungs and abdomen

42
Q

What are heavy metals

A

naturally occurring elements that have a high atomic weight and a density at least 5 times greater then that of water

43
Q

Where have heavy metals been applied to human life?

A

Industry
Domestic
Agricultural
Medical
Technological

44
Q

What is the source of lead?

A

lead-acid batteries
roofing
radiation shielding
Metal production and processing
Lead petrol
Old lead piping
Lead paint

45
Q

What are the impacts of lead?

A

Toxic to plants and animals
Affects central nervous system
Premature birth increased risk
Reduce birth weight
Learning difficulties
Inhibit growth
Damage kidneys
Joint weakness
Potentially carcinogenic

46
Q

What are the characteristics of lead that affect its severity?

A

Solubility increases in acidic water
Dissolves slowly in water
Resistant to corrosion

47
Q

How can lead be controlled?

A

Main legislation is National Air Quality Strategy
Restrictions on sale and use
Keep home clean and dust free
Maintain all painted surfaces

48
Q

What are the sources of mercury?

A

Waste incineration
Chlorine manufacture
Mercury cells
Metal production
Coal combustion

49
Q

What are the impacts of mercury pollution?

A

Toxic to wildlife, plants and microorganisms
Nervous system, lung and kidney damage
Potentially carcinogenic

50
Q

What characteristics of mercury affects its severity?

A

Persists indefinitely
Bioaccumulates (liposoluble)

51
Q

How is mercury pollution controlled?

A

Clean air act
Restrictions for use in electrical equipment
Phaseout for use in batteries
Sale of products above certain level prohibited

52
Q

What are the sources of cadmium pollution?

A

Metal processing (aluminium)
Mine waters
Battery recycling plants
Phosphate fertiliser application

53
Q

What are the impacts of cadmium pollution on the environment?

A

Affects photosynthesis and transpiration
growth and reproduction of micro organisms in soil and water

54
Q

What are the impacts of cadmium pollution on humans?

A

Carcinogenic when inhaled
Birth defects
Damage to reproductive system
Anaemia
Kidney damage

55
Q

What characteristics of cadmium affect its severity?

A

Biomagnifies and bioaccumulates

56
Q

What are control methods for cadmium pollution?

A

Bioaccumulator plants for phytoremediation
Legislation banning use for certain activities

57
Q

What are the sources of tin pollution?

A

Canned food and drink

58
Q

What are the impacts of tin pollution?

A

Toxic to algae, fungi and phytoplankton
Eye/ skin irritation
reduced red blood cells
Brain damage

59
Q

What are the characteristics of tin pollution that affect its severity?

A

High persistence (not easily biodegraded)

60
Q

What are the control methods for tin pollution?

A

Use of alternatives for cans which are less likely to end up in food or drink

61
Q

What is cyanide?

A

A compound that contains a triple bond group known as cyano group which consists or a carbon atom triple bonded to a nitrogen atom

62
Q

What forms can cyanide be in?

A

Liquid
Colourless gas
Crystals

63
Q

What are some examples of gaseous cyanide?

A

Hydrogen cyanide
Cyanogen chloride

64
Q

What are some examples of crystallised cyanide?

A

Sodium cyanide
Potassium cyanide

65
Q

what is cyanide used for in manufacturing?

A

Paper
Textiles
Plastics
Chemicals to develop photos

66
Q

What are cyanide salts used for?

A

metallurgy for electroplating metal cleaning
Removing gold from ore

67
Q

What is cyanide gas used for?

A

extermination of pests and vermin in ships and buildings

68
Q

How does cyanide affect humans?

A

Blocks cells ability to produce ATP a source of energy used by your body for natural functions

69
Q

What happens when a person gets a lethal dose of cyanide?

A

body’s cells suddenly stop producing ATP
Lung diaphragm and heart are pure muscle so no longer function
Wont be able to breath and cardiac arrest will occur

70
Q

How long does it take for cyanide to take effect on a person?

A

2-5 minutes

71
Q

What are the sources of cyanide?

A

Smoking
Eating apple seeds or cassava
Burning plastic
Inhaling house fire smoke

72
Q

How do you dispose of cyanide?

A

disposed via incineration

73
Q

What are the by-products of burning cyanide?

A

Less harmful secondary pollutants CO2 and NOx

74
Q

Where does most radioactive waste come from?

A

power plants

75
Q

What 3 levels of radioactive waste severity are there?

A

High level waste (HLW)
Intermediate level waste (ILW)
Low level waste (LLW)

76
Q

What is low level radioactive waste?

A

Typically from hospitals
Sent straight to land based disposal following packaging
Usually stored in secure containers

77
Q

What % of total radioactive waste volume is LLW?

A

90%

78
Q

What is intermediate level radioactive waste packaging?

A

Packing involves placing waste in suitable container and immobilising the waste in cement based materials
Geological disposal

79
Q

What are the typical packages for ILW?

A

500 litre steel drums or 3m*3 steel boxes

80
Q

What is geological disposal? (radioactive waste)

A

placing packaged waste in engineered underground facility

81
Q

What is the name for the process of high level waste packaging? (radioactive)

A

Encapsulation and vitrification

82
Q

How does encapsulation and vitrification take place?

A

High level waste are concentrated by evaporation then stored in double walled stainless steel tanks inside thick concrete walls awaiting vitrification

83
Q

What is vitrification?

A

Waste converted into a borosilicate glass within steel canisters

84
Q

What are the positives of encapsulation and vitrification?

A

Long term
Safe storage

85
Q

What are the negatives of encapsulation and vitrification?

A

expensive
material remains radioactive for thousands of years

Environmental Science (90 decks)

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