Title: Final Exam
Course: SUST 1013 Introduction to Sustainable Resource Management > Section: SUST 1013 Introduction to Sustainable Resource Management

Q: Sustainable Resource Management considers waste to be  _________.
- a liability that impacts corporate bottom lines
- an asset that has actual and inherent value
- a major challenge for manufacturing sites
- None of the above
A: an asset that has actual and inherent value

Q: Sustainability in business may also be termed _______.
- zero waste
- efficiency
- corporate responsibility
- recycling
A: efficiency

Q: Drywall is a fairly inert material in landfills until ______ is introduced.
- heat
- air
- moisture
- All of the above
A: moisture

Q: One of the long term concerns of landfills is groundwater contamination due to ________ leakage.
- compost tea
- sewer sludge
- water
- leakage
A: leakage

Q: Which of these is a collection of processes by which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen?
- anaerobic digestion
- aerobic digestion
- manual digestion
- All of the above
A: anaerobic digestion

Q: What is the goal of an efficient SRM program?
- greatest diversion regardless of cost
- medium diversion with least cost
- minimum diversion with minimum cost
- greatest diversion with least cost
A: greatest diversion with least cost

Q: What percent of materials in a house to be removed/demolished can potentially be recovered for reuse or recycling?
- 25%
- 50%
- 60%
- 80%
A: 80%

Q: Benefits of C&D recycling programs include all of the following EXCEPT _________.
- avoidance of disposal costs
- creation of jobs
- replacement of natural resources
- avoidance of transportation costs
A: avoidance of transportation costs

Q: Source separation refers to _____________
- the process of separating waste before collection
- the process used at recycling plants to segregate electronic waste
- the process used by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to identify the source of pollutants
- None of the above
A: the process of separating waste before collection

Q: Select the BEST order for the steps of the Zero Waste International Alliance hierarchy for assessing a material’s highest and best use.
- Reduce, Refuse, Reuse, Recycle, Incinerate
- Reduce, Redesign, Recycle, Compost, Regulate
- Reduce, End Subsidies, Redesign, Reuse, Landfill
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Regulate, Landfill
A: Reduce, Redesign, Recycle, Compost, Regulate

Q: How should batteries be prepared prior to shipping to their end market or recycler?
- Only alkaline batteries must have the leads/ends taped and completely sealed.
- All types of batteries must have the leads/ends taped and completely sealed.
- Hot batteries should be shipped separately.
- None of the above
A: All types of batteries must have the leads/ends taped and completely sealed.

Q: What single factor impacts the economic viability of any recycling recovery program?
- Volume of material
- Number of dumpster pulls/week
- Least-waste purchasing
- Size of the trash dumpster
A: Volume of material

Q: Challenges to successful recycling operations include _____.
- large enough hauling vehicles
- good markets or consistent users for used wood, paint, glass materials
- large enough indoor facilities for offices
- finding materials to recycle
A: good markets or consistent users for used wood, paint, glass materials

Q: What is the number one material by percent in mixed C&D material?
- wood or lumber
- drywall
- dirt
- concrete
A: wood or lumber

Q: Which cultural factors contributed to the increase in per person /per day amount of consumer waste generated during the 1950s and 60s?
- The end of WWII which saw more engineers, designers, and advertisers, and marketers of consumer products.
- The increasing number of women in the work force, requiring more convenience products.
- Greater prosperity and leisure time for some meant more disposable income.
- All of the above
A: All of the above

Q: How does Building Material Recovery differ from Construction & Demolition Recovery?
- Building material recovery focuses on capturing the entire set of materials rather than select items.
- C&D recovery means only recycling of materials after a house or building is torn down.
- There is no difference between building material recovery and C&D recovery.
- Building material recovery is a slower process for reusing materials in their original form.
A: Building material recovery is a slower process for reusing materials in their original form.

Q: Why is E-cycling is becoming a more common practice in the U.S. and globally?
- The designs of laptops are all pretty much the same.
- The devices E-cycled may contain toxic materials which are considered hazardous waste.
- The costs of the materials are skyrocketing.
- People are keeping their devices longer and longer.
A: The devices E-cycled may contain toxic materials which are considered hazardous waste.

Q: Planned Obsolescence is a design term referring to _________.
- resource and recycling centers
- products intentionally planned to be useful for only a limited time
- products made undesirable due to parts overuse
- products that should not be used after their expiration date
A: products intentionally planned to be useful for only a limited time

Q: Which governmental department issues developmental and operating permits to waste management facilities?
- USDA
- EPA
- Department of Home Security
- Department of Health and Human Services
A: EPA

Q: What items or materials are NOT banned from landfill disposal in Illinois?
- white goods
- whole tires
- yard waste
- concrete
A: concrete

Q: What is the average percentage of waste reduced/diverted by businesses that commit to Zero Waste programs?
- 50%
- 65%
- 90%
- 100%
A: 90%

Q: FCA (Full Cost Accounting) is _____.
- an accounting practice where resources, energy and labor are included in the cost of doing business and as a consideration when purchasing materials/services
- a technique to assess the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with products, processes and services
- a formula consisting of saving by reducing, reusing/repurposing, recycling and composting
- None of the above
A: an accounting practice where resources, energy and labor are included in the cost of doing business and as a consideration when purchasing materials/services

Q: A ZW (Zero Waste) approach to SRM can _____.
- keep more money in the local economy
- be very hard to evaluate
- always cost more
- All of the above
A: keep more money in the local economy

Q: What is meant by the term “local markets” for recovered materials?
- A viable end-user as close to the generating source as possible
- Markets within a certain distance from the recycling organization
- A term sometimes used to distinguish between national and international markets
- All of the above
A: All of the above

Q: What is the definition of “highest and best use”?
- methods of recovery that garner the most money for recyclers
- a recovery approach that retains materials’ usefulness with low processing cost/energy footprint
- a management method that focuses on retaining materials’ energy value
- a marketing approach that compares material end users with landfill costs
A: a recovery approach that retains materials’ usefulness with low processing cost/energy footprint

Q: A technique used in analyzing the long- and short-term environmental aspects and potentials impacts associated with a product, process or service is called _________________.
- Bottom Line Assessment
- Life Cycle Assessment
- Environmental Accounting
- Full Cost Accounting
A: Life Cycle Assessment

Q: What methods are known to make SRM public education more effective?
- Financial incentives and non-compliance fines
- Self-efficacy, belief that you are making a difference, and indirect/bundled effects
- Financial incentives and self-efficacy
- Non-compliance fines and social media
A: Self-efficacy, belief that you are making a difference, and indirect/bundled effects

Q: Community programs would be most efficient and effective by focusing their education efforts on _________.
- the top percentage/group of people already recycling or engaged in sustainable behaviors
- the bottom percentage/group of people who do not recycle at work or at home
- all people, regardless of age group
- the middle percentage/group of people who may or may not sometimes recycle
A: the middle percentage/group of people who may or may not sometimes recycle

Q: The first step a business owner should take when negotiating a service contract for recycling, composting, or waste disposal services includes all of the following EXCEPT _____.
- researching local pricing and service levels available from area haulers/providers
- researching rates paid by other types of businesses and businesses similar to yours
- surveying employees to determine their level of commitment to waste reduction
- comparing your existing contract to other businesses similar to yours
A: researching rates paid by other types of businesses and businesses similar to yours

Q: The Resource Conservation Recovery Act regulates _____.
- composting
- environmental site assessment
- hazardous waste
- All of the above
A: hazardous waste

Q: What role do environmental regulators play, what actions are taken by agency staff enforcing state laws?
- Site Visits
- Outreach/education
- Inspections/enforcement
- All of the above
A: All of the above

Q: What single policy approach consistently results in 11 to 30 times more useful material recovery than any education or incentive program?
- Materials banned from landfills
- Mandatory recycling at local levels
- Robust commercial recycling programs
- All of the above
A: Materials banned from landfills

Q: The triple-bottom-line is often referred to in Sustainable Resource Management (SRM). What are the three bottom lines and why is it used in SRM? (3 pts)

Q: Please explain the concept of Zero Waste and give three reasons with short explanations why we cannot reach zero at this time. (3 pts)

Q: Understanding that different businesses generate different types of discard materials, how should one begin to review an organization’s operations for logical sustainable resource management actions? (3 pts)

Q: Name at least three considerations for the appropriate role of government in SRM. (3 pts)

Q: Name at least three keys to a Zero Waste community program. (3 pts)

Q: List at least three advantages and three disadvantages for curbside recycling. (3 pts)