A town in a small European country is attempting to establish a no-waste, environmentally sound economy by creating a circular ecological system. In theory, it works like this: The waste products of Company A become the raw material for Company B; Company B’s waste products become the raw material for Company C; Company C’s waste products are the raw material for Company A. This completes the cycle, and a no-waste economy is up and functioning.
If another region wants to implement this system and become ecologically waste-free, which of the following would make the cycle impractical?
A. The waste products of a pharmaceutical company are piped into a local farm to be used as fertilizer for crops.
B. Fruit and vegetables from local farms are packaged in biodegradable containers, which can be mulched into ground fill.
C. Some industries in the region export their finished products to neighboring countries.
D. The cost of heating homes in the region will be reduced as waste steam from a nearby refinery is piped into residential areas.
E. Trucks used to transport waste products to recycling stations burn expensive fuel and emit polluting gases.