The primary goal of Integrated Waste Management is to:

• A. maximize disposal in landfills
• B. minimize energy use only
• C. develop as many options as possible to reduce environmental harm and cost
• D. focus solely on recycling

Answer: (C)

Integrated Waste Management looks at the waste system as a whole and uses a mix of strategies to cut environmental harm and costs. The idea is to plan and coordinate a range of options—prevention, reuse, repair, recycling, energy recovery, and safe disposal when needed—so the best combination is chosen for each situation. This broad, flexible approach recognizes that no single method is right for every context, and combining approaches often yields greater environmental and economic benefits. So developing as many viable options as possible to reduce harm and cost captures the goal of balancing environmental protection with practical considerations. The other options are narrower: relying on landfill disposal, focusing only on energy use, or concentrating solely on recycling don’t reflect the coordinated, multi-method strategy that IWM emphasizes.