CPWM Recycling and Resource Recovery 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal program certifies that products meet minimum recycled content standards for procurement by federal agencies?
- ENERGY STAR program
- EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) (Correct answer)
- USDA BioPreferred program
- FTC Green Guides certification
Correct answer: EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG)
The EPA's CPG program designates products with minimum recycled content thresholds and requires federal agencies to give procurement preference to these designated items.
Question 2: In a drop-off recycling program serving a rural county, which factor most significantly affects program cost-effectiveness?
- Number of color-coded bins at each site
- Collection site density and haul distance to the MRF (Correct answer)
- The brand of sorting equipment at the processing facility
- Time of year the program was launched
Correct answer: Collection site density and haul distance to the MRF
In rural programs, low population density means higher per-ton collection costs, and long transport distances to processors drive up haul costs, making site placement critical to economic viability.
Question 3: What is the primary regulatory concern when a company uses 'recycled' as a marketing claim for a product containing 30% pre-consumer scrap?
- FTC Green Guides require disclosure of the type of recycled content (pre- vs. post-consumer) (Correct answer)
- EPA requires laboratory testing of all recycled content claims
- OSHA requires worker safety data for pre-consumer scrap handlers
- FDA prohibits recycled content in food-contact packaging entirely
Correct answer: FTC Green Guides require disclosure of the type of recycled content (pre- vs. post-consumer)
The FTC Green Guides direct marketers to disclose whether recycled content is pre-consumer or post-consumer when making recycled content claims, as post-consumer is generally considered more environmentally significant.
Question 4: Which material in a mixed recyclables stream is most effectively separated using an eddy current separator?
- Steel cans
- HDPE bottles
- Aluminum cans and foil (Correct answer)
- Glass bottles
Correct answer: Aluminum cans and foil
Eddy current separators use a rapidly rotating magnetic field to induce currents in non-ferrous metals like aluminum, repelling them from the belt and separating them from other materials.
Question 5: A municipality considering adopting a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program expects which primary outcome related to recycling?
- Decreased recycling participation due to higher overall fees
- Increased diversion rates as residents have a financial incentive to recycle more (Correct answer)
- Elimination of the need for curbside recycling collection
- Reduction in household hazardous waste generation
Correct answer: Increased diversion rates as residents have a financial incentive to recycle more
PAYT programs charge residents based on the volume or weight of trash set out, creating a direct financial incentive to recycle and compost more to reduce their trash bill.
Question 6: What does the term 'secondary materials' refer to in the context of resource recovery and RCRA regulations?
- Materials collected in the second phase of a two-phase collection program
- Materials that have been used and are potentially recyclable but may still be subject to waste regulations (Correct answer)
- Industrial byproducts that are hazardous under Subtitle C
- Backup feedstocks used when primary commodities are unavailable
Correct answer: Materials that have been used and are potentially recyclable but may still be subject to waste regulations
Secondary materials are post-use materials that may be recycled or reclaimed; their regulatory status under RCRA depends on whether they meet criteria for solid and/or hazardous waste.
Question 7: Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used in recycling program planning primarily to:
- Calculate the tipping fees charged at transfer stations
- Quantify environmental impacts across all stages of a material's life to compare management options (Correct answer)
- Determine the market price of recovered commodities
- Set contamination limits for incoming MRF feedstocks
Correct answer: Quantify environmental impacts across all stages of a material's life to compare management options
LCA evaluates the full environmental footprint—energy, emissions, water use—of a material from extraction through disposal, helping decision-makers choose the most environmentally beneficial management strategy.
CPWM Recycling and Resource Recovery 5
Which federal program certifies that products meet minimum recycled content standards for procurement by federal agencies?