Strand 7: Urban Environmental Issues

Question 1

Why is waste an issue in urban areas?

Answer 1

Waste is an issue because there’s a limited amount of space in which to dispose waste so it can become an environmental problem.

Question 2

Impacts of increased waste

Answer 2

• loss of biodiversity
• pollution
• raised health issues (respiratory, skin & other diseases)

Question 3

Landfill v. incineration

Answer 3

Landfill: Dutch government approach to waste was to reduce their reliance in landfill, only landfill in an environmentally acceptable way, more space needed for landfill.
Incineration: AED in Amsterdam an incineration plant capable of producing 1 million MWH of electricity annually (W2E: waste to energy), by burning waste to make energy this has 632 kilotons less space than landfill

Question 4

What is dereliction?

Answer 4

Loss of industry or productivity of a land leaving it abandoned, unused or unoccupied.
Dealing with dereliction- developing brownfield sites to make it more appealing to live in.

Question 5

Issues with air pollution & management of the issue.

Answer 5

Issues!: health problems is the major issue (strokes, heart problems etc..) but also climate issues (fog, smog over cities)
Management: encourage sustainability, keep chimneys at a certain height, ban the use of polluting vehicles or use alternative transport. Try walking or cycling.

Question 6

Water pollution

Answer 6

Causes- industrial, agricultural, & urban runoff p. Global warming, deforestation, traffic (fuel spillage).
Issues- diseases with health, poor drinking water/lack of clean water. Dumping!
Types of pollution- chemical, groundwater, microbiological, nutrient, oxygen depletion & surface water & thermal.
Management of the issue- water treatment facilities, water usage, use of grey water, keeping taps on for limited time.

Question 7

Municipal..

Answer 7

Belonging to a town/city
Municipal waste - everyday items disgarded by the public collected by road sweepers/public bin men…
Municipal solid waste - urban waste incl.solid domestic waste & commercial waste
*Uk urban waste grows by approx 3% per year - an unsustainable amount!

Question 8

Waste increase over time

Answer 8

1980: 1.73billion people: waste at 39%
2015: 3.968billion people: waste at 54%
2025 (expected): 6.419billion people: waste at 66%

Question 9

Waste streams

Answer 9

Flows of specific waste, from its source through to recovery, recycling or disposal.