Conventional:
Waste produced = 100 kg
Waste disposal cost = $50 / kg
Total waste disposal cost = $5000
Method cost = $1000
Total = $6000
Biocatalyst:
Waste produced = 80 kg
Waste disposal cost = $50 / kg
Total waste disposal cost = $4000
Method cost = $1000
Total = $5000
Conclusion: Biocatalyst is less costly than conventional.
Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?
(A) Leather tanned using the conventional process is not lower in quality than is leather tanned using biological catalysts. =
Leather quality is OUT OF SCOPE.
Negate (B)
(B) The biological catalysts that can be used in the tanning process are
NOT less costly(equal/more costly) by weight than are calcium oxide and sodium sulfide.
Going back to what we have assumed, the method cost of both of them are same ($1000), so even if this is true our conclusion still stands and we don't know if BC cost is more than conventional chemicals.
(C) New technological innovations have recently made the use of biological catalysts in the tanning process much more cost effective. =
This is irrelevant since we don't know the cost-effectiveness compared to the conventional chemicals.Negate (D)
(D) Disposal of tanning waste produced with biological catalysts
COSTS significantly more than disposal of the same amount of waste produced with the conventional process.
Consider the following example,Conventional:
Waste produced = 100 kg
Waste disposal cost = $50 / kg
Total waste disposal cost = $5000
Method (using conventional chemicals) cost = $1000
Total = $6000
Biocatalyst:
Waste produced = 80 kg
Waste disposal cost = $100 / kg
Total waste disposal cost = $8000
Method (using BC) cost = $1000
Total = $9000
Here we can clearly see that BC cost (9000$) > Conventional method cost ($6000), conclusion does NOT stand. CORRECT.Negate (E)
(E) The labor costs associated with tanning leather using biological catalysts
ARE GREATER than the labor costs associated with the conventional tanning process. =
The argument is specific to cost of chemicals used in tanning process and comparative waste disposal costs. If labor costs are excluded, the process using biocatalyst can still be less costly than using conventional chemicals. _________________
Posting my own explanation on forum helps me to review my mistakes :)