Urban Waste And Its Disposal Flashcards Preview

A Level Human Geography > Urban Waste And Its Disposal > Flashcards

Flashcards in Urban Waste And Its Disposal Deck (29)
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1
Q

Why is the amount of waste produced in cities increasing?

A

Urbanisation -> affluence (wealth), industrialisation

2
Q

Why is urban waste particularly a concern for LICs?

A

They may not have the resources to deal with the waste

3
Q

Name the different sources of waste

A
Residential 
Industrial
Commercial
Construction + demolition
Urban services
Institutional
4
Q

What is residential waste? Give examples

A

Waste produced in households.

Eg food, plastics, paper, metals, electronics, ashes.

5
Q

What is industrial waste? Give examples

A

Waste produced by eg manufacturing, power / chemical plants.

Eg packaging, construction / demolition materials, hazardous industrial waste.

6
Q

What is commercial waste? Give examples

A

Waste produced by businesses - eg shops, hotels, restaurants, markets, office buildings.

Eg paper, plastics, food, glass, metals, e-waste.

7
Q

What is construction + demolition waste? Give examples

A

Waste produced by new construction sites, road repair, renovation sites, demolition of buildings.

Eg wood, steel, concrete, dirt, bricks, tiles

8
Q

What is urban services waste? Give examples

A

Waste produced by services eg street cleaning, landscaping, parks, beaches, recreational areas, water, waste water treatment plants.

Eg street sweepings, landscape / tree trimmings, general waste from parks / beaches, sludge.

9
Q

What is institutional waste? Give examples

A

Waste produced by institutions eg schools, hospitals, prisons, government buildings, airports.

Eg paper, plastics, food, glass,metals, e-wastes

10
Q

Name some of the main waste items

A
Food
Paper
Plastics
Glass
Metals
E-waste
11
Q

What factors affect the composition of waste?

A
Level of economic development.
Cultural norms.
Geographical location.
Energy sources.
Climate.
12
Q

Give some effects of urban waste

A
  • Waste accounts for 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Treating waste is expensive -> LICs can use 20-50% of their budget.
  • Untreated / uncollected waste -> health problems eg breathing problems.
  • Lack of landfill space -> dumping of waste by roads, rivers, bridges -> civil unrest.
13
Q

By what percentage is the amount of urban waste increasing each year?

A

7%

14
Q

How much waste are lower middle countries predicted to generate by 2025?

A

956 million tonnes each year

15
Q

Mining and quarrying accounts for what percentage of worldwide waste?

A

23%

16
Q

Name the strategies used to deal with waste

A

Landfill
Incineration
Recycling
Trade

17
Q

What are the most common methods of waste disposal in HICs?

A

Landfill / incineration

18
Q

How do LICs tend to deal with their waste?

A

Open dumps

-> unregulated -> not controlled / supervised by regulation of law.

19
Q

What is the issue that comes with solid waste that hasn’t been properly disposed of?

A

Breeding ground for insects, vermin, scavenging animals

-> pass on air / water borne diseases.

20
Q

What are the environmental threats associated with urban waste?

A

Contamination of groundwater / surface water.

Air pollution -> burning of waste that isn’t properly collected and disposed of.

21
Q

What is recycling and why is it used?

A

Materials are processed into new products.

Significantly save energy -> 95% saving by recycling aluminium.

22
Q

Give the impacts caused by recycling

A
  • Large global market for recyclables.
  • Reduces the quantities of disposed waste.
  • Return of materials to the economy.
  • Can contribute to greenhouse gases.
23
Q

What is trade as a method of waste disposal?

A

Global waste trade - the movement of waste between countries for treatment, disposal, recycling.

24
Q

What system controls movement of hazardous waste as part of the global waste trade?

A

The Basel Convention

25
Q

Give the impacts caused by the global waste trade

A
  • Disposal of waste may not be controlled properly in countries with few guidelines / restrictions.
  • May create environmental issues in the recipient country.
26
Q

What is incineration?

A

General waste is burned at high temperatures and under safe conditions

27
Q

Give the impacts caused by incineration of waste

A
  • Can reduce volume of waste by up to 90%.
  • Can produce energy output.
  • Can cause severe air pollution if not properly managed.
  • Quite expensive.
  • Air pollution / ash disposal are environmental concerns.
28
Q

What is landfill?

A

The burial of waste in man made / natural excavations eg pits / landfill.
In richer countries the types of waste sent to landfill are strictly controlled.

29
Q

Give impacts caused by landfill

A
  • Less regulated in poorer countries -> may just be a hole in the ground.
  • Gas produced can be collected -> electricity.
  • Methane, bleach, ammonia produced -> contamination of air / groundwater.
  • Take up a lot of space.
  • Unsightly.