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20 Waste Management Practices: Municipal, Hazardous, and Industrial
4. According to the U.S. EPA definition, “solid waste” include: (a) discarded solids; (b) dis-
carded semisolids (sludges); (c) contained gases; (d) materials from commercial, indus-
trial, and domestic sources; (e) all of the above.
5. Under the RCRA regulations, how can a solid waste become designated as a hazardous
waste?
6. Industrial waste may or may not include hazardous waste. Explain and provide examples.
7. Livestock feedlot wastes are an environmental concern due to: (a) the low water content
of the wastes; (b) potential for eutrophication of water by nitrogen; (c) high pathogen
content; (d) low fertilizer value; (e) all of the above
8. What is the primary purpose of the Medical Waste Tracking Act? What event(s) catalyzed
this legislation?
9. Why was the Universal Waste Rule enacted? What are its benefits and whom does it serve?
10. Why is ionizing radiation a human health hazard? Explain its mode of action on the body.
11. How is the majority of mining waste disposed? Agricultural waste? Low-level radioactive
waste?
12. How are high-level nuclear wastes to be managed and disposed in the near future?
Discuss the pitfalls, in your opinion, associated with the single repository approach of
nuclear waste disposal.
13. MSW generation is influenced by both population size and consumer lifestyle. How do
these two factors differ for the United States and a less developed country, for example
India or Mexico?
14. Describe the waste management hierarchy under RCRA. What is the ultimate goal of
such a hierarchy?
15. What factors have occurred over the past 50 years to increase significantly the quantities
of MSW generated in the United States?
16. Explain why the manufacturing of consumer products using more durable, long-lived
materials had been slow to catch on by both industry and the American consumer. If you
have traveled to Europe or Japan, did you notice a difference in the quality of consumer
products or in the amount of packaging? Explain.
17. In the United States and elsewhere, formal and comprehensive solid waste management
programs have been slow to develop. Explain the reasons for this.
18. Based on parameters such as population and economic trends and personal lifestyles,
identify the issues you feel will significantly affect waste management in the coming
decade.
19. What is your state’s position on integrated waste management? If there is a formal pro-
gram, discuss its administration and practical application including the waste manage-
ment hierarchy.