Sorting And Recycling Materials

Question 1

Define recycle.

Answer 1

Process in which waste materials are broken down into different parts and reused to make new products

Question 2

Define organic waste.

Answer 2

Waste that comes from plants or animals, and that can be broken down by other living things

Question 3

It is every person’s responsibility to dispose of or get rid of waste correctly. Give some examples of how you can do this.

Answer 3

. Reduce waste, for example, by buying products with less packaging. Reuse materials such as paper objects like containers for a second time. Recycle suitable materials such as paper, plastic, glass and metal by taking them to a recycling bin or depot
. Ensure that household waste for recycling is sorted and rinsed properly. Some municipalities provide special bins or transparent bags for household waste that you can recycle
. Dispose of harmful materials such as batteries, computers and electronic components, and materials that contain mercury in a responsible way. Your municipality will have more information about this

Question 4

Which materials can be recycled?

Answer 4

Glass, paper, cardboard, metal and plastic

Question 5

How can people make a living out of recycling?

Answer 5

People can make a living by collecting glass, metal, paper and plastic from people’s homes and selling it to buy-back centres. Schools are encouraged to have ‘banks’ where people can deposit materials for recycling. Schools can earn money from selling these waste materials to recycling companies

Question 6

How many times can glass and paper be recycled?

Answer 6

Glass - over and over again
Paper - at least seven times

Question 7

Who collect glass and metal to reuse or recycle?

Answer 7

Glass - companies such as the ‘Glass Recycling Company’
Metal - scral iron merchants

Question 8

Give one reason why we should recycle plastic.

Answer 8

It is made from oil, which is a limited resource

Question 9

What do manufacturers do so that plastic can be sorted easily?

Answer 9

They use special codes that they stamp on the plastic

Question 10

Give some examples of organic waste.

Answer 10

Household food waste, such as vegetable peelings, and garden waste. Other examples include agricultural waste such as mielie stalks left over after harvesting and human waste such as sewage

Question 11

How does composting household waste work?

Answer 11

It involves collecting organic waste in an area in the garden. Organisms such as earthworms, beetles, millipedes, bacteria and fungi break down the waste. Dark humus is formed. We add this to the soil to enrich it with nutrients and improve its condition

Question 12

What can we use animal waste for?

Answer 12

To enrich soil or burn to release energy

Question 13

What can we use human waste for?

Answer 13

We have to be careful when using human waste such as sewage, because it contains organisms that can cause disease. Raw human waste should never be applied to crops eaten by people or animals. After human waste is treated, it is used to make fertilisers

Question 14

Which materials cannot be recycled and what should we do with them?

Answer 14

Materials such as paper with a plastic lining such as dog food bags and potato bags. Not all plastics can be recycled. Some types of plastic degrade during the recycling process and therefore cannot be used again. We have to dispose of this waste at landfill sites

Question 15

What happens to waste produced by homes and offices?

Answer 15

It is collected once a week and taken to landfill sites by the local municipality. Not all the waste decays, and some of it seeps into the soil. Suitable areas for landfill sites are quickly running out

Question 16

Wjat happens to recyclable waste in South Africa?

Answer 16

We do not have the proper infrastructure for recycling household waste. Households have to separate their recyclable waste and store it. In most municipalities, households are expected to take their recyclable waste to a drop-off centre themselves. As a result, many people do not recycle their waste

Question 17

What does separating waste at the source, for example, in the home or office do?

Answer 17

It provides better quality of materials for recycling. It also has the potential to create jobs in municipalities are prepared to collect the sorted waste directly from households. It is a better alternative to salvaging waste at landfills, where there are health and safety risks for the people who separate the waste

Question 18

Poor waste management means that people have not put much thought into how to deal with waste. Structures and processes to deal with waste effectively should be put in place by local authorities and government. If they do not do this, there are negative consequences. List some examples.

Answer 18

. Pollution of water, soil and the environment: chemical waste from factories and mines can enter the water system and pollute the water and soil. This harms the environment, because it pollutes the water, affects the structure pf the soil, and kills plants and animals

. Health hazards and diseases: waste that is not disposed of properly increases the number of flies and vermin such as rats in the area. Flies and rats carry diseases that can lead to diarrhoea. Waste released into the air from factories, mines and power plants lead to air pollution. This can cause lung diseases and allergies in people living nearby

. Blockage of sewage and water drainage systems: this occurs where sewage pipes are not maintained and, as a result of flooding, become blocked and overflow. Sewage can then enter drinking water sources and this can lead to an outbreak of diseases such as cholera

. A shortage of landfill sites: poor waste management causes more and more waste. This requires more land for landfill sites. Land that could have been used for housing or agriculture is wasted

. Wastage of valuable materials: materials that could have been reused or recycled are dumped instead

Question 19

Give some examples of careers in chemistry, mining and waste management.

Answer 19

A forensic chemist investigates chemicals collected from crime scenes. Metallurgical engineers process ores to produce products such as metals. A combination of processes, including physical processes, is used to separate metals or salts from their ores. There are also various careers in waste management such as, managers, administration clerks and controllers