CPWM Recycling and Resource Recovery 4 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the hierarchy of material management strategies, which option ranks highest under the EPA waste management hierarchy?
- Recycling
- Composting
- Source reduction and reuse (Correct answer)
- Energy recovery
Correct answer: Source reduction and reuse
Source reductionāpreventing waste from being generated in the first placeāranks at the top of the EPA's inverted pyramid, above reuse, recycling, composting, and disposal.
Question 2: A 'feedstock recycling' process such as pyrolysis converts post-consumer plastics into:
- Pelletized virgin-equivalent resin
- Fuel oils, waxes, or chemical feedstocks through thermal decomposition (Correct answer)
- Compost through biological breakdown
- Glass fibers through high-temperature fusion
Correct answer: Fuel oils, waxes, or chemical feedstocks through thermal decomposition
Pyrolysis uses heat in an oxygen-free environment to break down plastic polymers into oils and gases that serve as chemical feedstocks or fuels, rather than producing recycled resin.
Question 3: Which MRF equipment type uses differences in particle velocity and trajectory to separate flat from three-dimensional materials?
- Trommel screen
- Ballistic separator (Correct answer)
- Eddy current separator
- Air classifier
Correct answer: Ballistic separator
Ballistic separators use paddles that impart different trajectories to flat (2D) materials like paper and 3D containers, sorting them into separate streams by their bouncing behavior.
Question 4: When a state mandates a 75% recycling rate by 2030, which metric calculation best tracks progress toward that goal?
- Tons collected curbside divided by total residential population
- Tons of material diverted from disposal divided by total MSW generated (Correct answer)
- Number of materials accepted in the program divided by total possible materials
- Revenue from commodity sales divided by program operating cost
Correct answer: Tons of material diverted from disposal divided by total MSW generated
Diversion rate is calculated as tons diverted (recycled, composted, recovered) divided by total MSW generated, expressed as a percentage, which aligns with statutory recycling rate definitions.
Question 5: Which end market quality standard governs recovered paper grades sold domestically in the US?
- ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular (Correct answer)
- ASTM D5231 standard
- EPA 40 CFR Part 247 guidelines
- ISO 14021 recycled content claims
Correct answer: ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) Scrap Specifications Circular defines the grades and quality standards for recovered paper, metals, plastics, and other secondary commodities traded in the US.
Question 6: A waste-to-energy (WTE) facility that combusts 500 tons per day of MSW and generates electricity is classified under RCRA as:
- A hazardous waste treatment facility requiring a Part B permit
- A solid waste disposal facility subject to Subtitle D regulations (Correct answer)
- An exempt agricultural operation
- A universal waste handler
Correct answer: A solid waste disposal facility subject to Subtitle D regulations
WTE combustion facilities that process non-hazardous MSW are regulated under RCRA Subtitle D as solid waste disposal facilities and must meet EPA's emission standards for large MWCs.
Question 7: The concept of 'upcycling' differs from conventional recycling in that it:
- Converts waste into a product of lesser or equal value
- Transforms waste into a product of higher quality or value than the original (Correct answer)
- Requires industrial-scale processing rather than community collection
- Only applies to organic materials
Correct answer: Transforms waste into a product of higher quality or value than the original
Upcycling creates higher-value products from discarded materialsāfor example, turning glass bottles into decorative itemsārather than breaking materials back down to raw form.
CPWM Recycling and Resource Recovery 4
In the hierarchy of material management strategies, which option ranks highest under the EPA waste management hierarchy?