Chapter 12 Waste NotesGuiding Questions

p. 303-309

(1) What is solid waste? How much of it do we

produce in the U.S. each year?
Solid waste is any discarded material that is not
liquid or a gas. In the US, we produce 10 billion tons
of waste.
(2) Why has the amount of waste produced doubled
in the U.S. since the 1960s?
The amount of waste produced doubled because
many products are designed to be used once and
then thrown away.
(3) Compare and contrast biodegradable versus non
biodegradable materials. Provide an example of each
as well.
Biodegradable is material that can be broken down
by living things into simpler chemicals that can be
consumed by living things. Biodegradable is better
for the environment and its population.
Nonbiodegradable cannot be broken down by living
things so it stays stagnant and takes up land space.
Nonbiodegradable has many problems because it
takes a long time for it to vanish. Not affected by

natural materials. Nonbiodegradable materials can

be recycled.
Similar- They will eventually break down waste
products.
(4) Where does most of our solid waste come from
(about 70%)?
Most of our solid waste comes from manufacturing
and mining.
(5) What is municipal solid waste? What makes up the
largest portion of this waste (Figure 12-8)?
Municipal solid waste is the trash produced by
households and business. Paper and cardboard
makes up the largest portion of the waste.
(6) What percentage of our trash is recycled?
25%

(7) Where does our trash that is not recycled go (you

can use Figure 12-9)?
Our trash goes to landfills or incinerated. A landfill
waste-disposal facility where wastes are put back
into the ground and covered each day with a layer of
dirt, plastic, or both.

(8) Describe three problems with storing waste in

landfills.
One problem is leachate, the water that contains
toxic chemicals dissolved from wastes in a landfill.
The leachate is formed when water seeps down
through a landfill, dissolving chemicals from
decomposing garbage.
Another problem is methane. As organic waste
decomposes deep in the landfill, where there is no
oxygen, it produces methane, a highly flammable
gas.
Landfills also take up a lot of space on the land
surface.
(9) When is NC estimated to run out of landfill space
(use Figure 12-12)?
In 5-10 years NC is estimated to run out of landfill
space.
(10) Describe two problems with incinerating waste.

The material burned during the process is more toxic and harmful to the
environment. It pollutes the air and releases gases and particles of toxic heavy
metals into the air.

The wasted that is burned does not disappear. Some of it pollutes the air and
some of it is converted into ash that must be disposed to the landfill.