CAR Appliance Recycler Recycling & Waste Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law governs the proper disposal of refrigerants from appliances?
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
- Clean Air Act Section 608 (Correct answer)
- Toxic Substances Control Act
- Solid Waste Disposal Act
Correct answer: Clean Air Act Section 608
Clean Air Act Section 608 requires certified technicians to recover refrigerants from appliances before disposal to prevent ozone-depleting emissions.
Question 2: What is the primary environmental concern with polyurethane foam insulation found in older refrigerators?
- It contains lead compounds
- It releases CFC or HCFC blowing agents (Correct answer)
- It produces dioxins when shredded
- It leaches mercury into groundwater
Correct answer: It releases CFC or HCFC blowing agents
Older refrigerator foam insulation was blown with CFCs or HCFCs, which are ozone-depleting substances that must be captured during recycling.
Question 3: An appliance recycler receives a washing machine with a PCB-containing capacitor manufactured before 1979. What must happen before shredding?
- The capacitor must be tested for PCB concentration
- The capacitor must be removed and managed as hazardous waste (Correct answer)
- The capacitor must be drained and rinsed with solvent
- The capacitor can remain if it weighs under 1 kg
Correct answer: The capacitor must be removed and managed as hazardous waste
Capacitors manufactured before 1979 may contain PCBs and must be removed and managed as hazardous waste under TSCA regulations before shredding.
Question 4: What is 'upstream reporting' in the context of appliance recycling material flows?
- Tracking materials sent to overseas processors
- Documenting the origin and collection point of appliances received (Correct answer)
- Reporting energy recovered during shredding
- Certifying the recycling rate to end customers
Correct answer: Documenting the origin and collection point of appliances received
Upstream reporting documents where collected appliances originated, enabling traceability and supporting claims about material recovery rates.
Question 5: Which material recovered from appliance recycling is classified as a non-ferrous metal?
- Stainless steel drum
- Carbon steel cabinet
- Aluminum heat exchanger (Correct answer)
- Cast iron compressor housing
Correct answer: Aluminum heat exchanger
Aluminum is a non-ferrous metal because it contains no significant iron content, making it a distinct commodity stream from ferrous steel components.
Question 6: A recycler discovers that a batch of shredder residue tests as hazardous waste. What is the correct action?
- Landfill it in a Subtitle D facility
- Blend it with non-hazardous waste to dilute it
- Manage it under RCRA Subtitle C as hazardous waste (Correct answer)
- Return it to the original appliance manufacturers
Correct answer: Manage it under RCRA Subtitle C as hazardous waste
Shredder residue that tests as hazardous waste must be managed under RCRA Subtitle C, which governs hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal.
Question 7: What does 'weight-based recycling rate' mean in appliance recycling?
- The cost per pound to process appliances
- The percentage of incoming appliance weight that is recycled rather than landfilled (Correct answer)
- The number of appliances processed per hour
- The ratio of ferrous to non-ferrous metals recovered
Correct answer: The percentage of incoming appliance weight that is recycled rather than landfilled
Weight-based recycling rate measures how much of the total incoming appliance mass is diverted from landfill through recycling or recovery processes.
CAR Appliance Recycler Recycling & Waste Management 2
Which federal law governs the proper disposal of refrigerants from appliances?