Practice 8.3 Solid domestic waste with authentic IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS - Old) exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2 structure, covering key topics like ecosystems, human impact, and sustainability. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
Figure 1: Management of solid domestic waste in England, 2001–2018
Source: https://www.commercialwastequotes.co.uk/blog/uk-waste-data-insights/
With reference to Figure 1, identify the recycling rate in England in 2018.
Outline one reason for the shape of the recycling rate curve from 2013 to 2018.
Estimate the reduction in solid domestic waste (in million tonnes) going to landfill from 2001 to 2018.
Describe three reasons why the proportion of solid domestic waste being recycled/ composted and incinerated has changed.
Outline one reason why there has been an overall change in recorded total solid domestic waste between 2001 and 2018.
Describe three principles of a circular economy as they apply to solid waste management.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of incineration as a solid waste disposal option.
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two inputs to these storages.
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two outputs from these storages.
Solid domestic waste may contain non-biodegradable material and toxins that have the potential to reduce the fertility of soils.
Explain how strategies for the management of this waste may help to preserve soil fertility.
The provision of food resources and assimilation of wastes are two key factors of the environment that determine its carrying capacity for a given species.
To what extent does the human production of food and waste each influence the carrying capacity for human populations?
Suggest three sustainable options for managing solid domestic waste in urban areas.
Collected waste in England from 2000–2020
(Source: Data from Progress report on recycling and recovery targets for England 2020, Department for Environment Food & Rural affairs, can be accessed through www.gov.uk)
Estimate the amount of waste that was recycled in 2010.
Outline two reasons for the decrease in waste going to landfills.
Evaluate one of the waste disposal options shown in the graph.
Figure 1: Domestic waste disposal for selected countries
Referring to figure 1, state the country that has the highest level of recycling/composting.
Outline two potential reasons for greater use of landfills in the United States compared to European countries.
Identify two problems associated with one of the waste disposal choices of Germany.
State two strategies for reducing the environmental impact of landfill sites.
Outline two factors that enable a human population to increase its local carrying capacity.
Explain how the growth in human population can affect local and regional water resources.
To what extent would different environmental value systems be successful in reducing a society’s ecological footprint?
Figure 3 shows the food loss and waste (in million tonnes per year) in a North American food production system.
(a) With reference to Figure 3, identify the stage that represents the greatest food loss and waste in North America.
Outline two strategies to reduce food waste at the 'distribution and retail' stage in North America.
With reference to a stage in Figure 3, describe one reason for a difference between food loss and waste in a less economically developed country (LEDC).
Discuss the sustainability of two solid domestic waste disposal strategies that can be used to manage food waste.
The figure shows the global plastic production, accumulation and future trends.
Estimate the mass of plastic that was produced in 2017.
Calculate the percentage of accumulated plastic that was recycled between 1950 and 2017.
Outline why the total accumulated plastic in 2017 is greater than the yearly production.
Describe how the environmental impacts of discarded and incinerated plastic waste would differ.
Describe two possible methods to reduce the future trends of plastic production shown in Figure 2.
Explain two potential impacts of the future trends of plastic production on the global ecological footprint.