Figure 14.2 shows the number of active landfills in the U.S. between 1988 and 20

Question

Figure 14.2 shows the number of active landfills in the U.S. between 1988 and 2007. Explain why there was such a significant decrease in the number of landfills during this period. Bar graph showing the number of active landfills in the U.S. Describe how the decreased number of landfills has affected the way that local governments dispose of the waste they collect from area citizens. d) Recycling programs have become quite common in municipalities across the U.S. Explain why local governments would bother to recycle when the cost of the programs oftentimes exceeds the value of the raw materials being recycled? In addition to escaping leachate from landfills, surface water and groundwater can become contaminated by the disposal of sewage and release of chemicals from industrial and agricultural applications. With respect to human sewage. most U.S. municipalities collect wastewater from individual homes and

Explanation / Answer

Answer: Q.6 : The number of landfills are decreased in US because of following measures:

i) Recycling rates have improved dramatically over the last five decades as states have implemented requirements and consumers have become more aware.

ii) America have gotten serious about recycling and turning their waste into energy.

iii)The United States, generated approximately 254 million tons of MSW in 2007— similar to the amount generated in 2006. Excluding composting, the amount of MSW recycled increased to 63.3 million tons, an increase of 1.9 million tons from 2006. This is a 3 percent increase in the tons recycled.

iv) The tons recovered for composting rose to 21.7 million tons in 2007, up from 20.8 million tons in 2006. The recovery rate for recycling (including composting) was 33.4 percent in 2007, up from 32.3 percent in 2006.

V) MSW generation in 2007 declined to 4.62 pounds per person per day. This is a decrease of 0.6 percent from 2006 to 2007. The recycling rate in 2007 was 1.54 pounds per person per day (an increase of 2.7 percent over 2006).

vi) Discards sent for combustion with energy recovery remained steady at 0.58 pounds per person per day. Discards sent to landfills after recycling and combustion with energy recovery declined to 2.50 pounds per person per day in 2007. This is a decrease of 2.7 percent from 2006 to 2007.

Vii) Hence the number of landfills are decreased in US because of increased in rate of recycling, Composting of waste and waste to energy production measures taken.

Answer: Q.7 : Better Mangement of solid waste:

i) As number of landfills site are decreased, the solid waste management program has been initiated for public awareness for achieving aim of zero waste to landfill site .

ii) The segregation of wet and dry waste is carried out at source level.

iii) The wet waste is sent for composting and dry waste is sent for recycling and for energy production.

iv) This has reduced the amount of waste drastically which is getting dumped at landfill site result into decreased number of landfills and effective waste management.

Answer: Q.8. Reason behind promoting recycling.

i) Recycling safeguards the environment and prevents climate change.

ii) waste Landfills generates methane in huge amount which is greenhouse gas. Due to the emissions of methane the temperature of earth is increasing causing Global warming.

iii) The leachate generated from landfills pollutes groundwater and surface water bodies.

iv) Landfills causes Air pollution due to emission of greenhouse gas emissions.

v) Recycling has a significant positive effect by reducing the amount of energy needed to make products from new materials. When recyclables go to the landfill, more materials must be mined, harvested or refined to replace the discarded item. These are energy-intensive processes, and recycling removes these steps entirely, producing energy savings. For example, making an aluminum can made from recycled materials requires only 5 percent as much energy as making a can from virgin materials.

vi) Energy savings also mean fewer greenhouse gas emissions associated with climate change. The EPA reports that in 2009, 25 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions were eliminated through recycling more than 7 million tons of metals, equal to taking almost 5 million cars off the road in a single year.

vii) Landfill space costs money for state and local governments, which do not receive a monetary return on this investment. Recycling, on the other hand, produces income that not only offsets the cost of establishing recycling facilities but also generates significant income through tax revenues for local, state and federal governments.

viii) Recycling can have a significant impact on the amount of property needed for landfill space. In 1996, despite recycling only about one-fourth of discarded items, U.S. recycling efforts forestalled the creation of 64 new landfills.

ix) Recycling also prevents the destruction of forests and other natural resources used to provide virgin materials for paper, glass containers and aluminum cans, and prevents massive amounts of water from being used to mine, refine and manufacture products.

x) The EPA estimates that recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water. That amounted to a savings of 714 million trees and 294 billion gallons of water in 2009, when people in the U.S. recycled more than 42 million tons of paper.

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