Environmental Justice and Policy
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Questions and Answers

What does environmental justice primarily aim to ensure?

  • Equal access to environmental decision-making processes (correct)
  • Restriction of environmental laws to specific groups
  • Mandatory relocation of affected communities
  • Uniform environmental hazards across communities

    • How does environmental injustice manifest in society?

  • Certain groups experience greater environmental risks (correct)
  • All groups receive equal environmental protection
  • Environmental resources are evenly distributed
  • Only affluent communities face environmental challenges

    • What misconception is often associated with environmental justice?

  • Environmental issues are solely economic concerns
  • Experiences of marginalized groups are prioritized
  • Equity and equality are interchangeable concepts (correct)
  • Environmental justice affects only low-income communities

    • What event highlights the struggle for environmental justice in the U.S.?

    <p>The Memphis sanitation strike</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common consequence of environmental injustice?

    <p>Disproportionate risks for certain communities due to exploitation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a direct consequence of the shooting incident mentioned?

    <p>Coretta Scott King led a silent march.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What toxic substance was improperly disposed of by Robert Burns' trucking company?

    <p>PCB-laden transformer fluid</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What act was violated by the improper disposal of the transformer fluid?

    <p>Resource Conservation and Recovery Act</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary issue of Environmental Racism highlighted in the content?

    <p>Disproportionate targeting of minority communities for toxic burdens</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happened to the dumped contaminated soil in Warren County?

    <p>It was planned to be dumped in a minority community landfill.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which federal action was signed in 1994 to address environmental justice?

    <p>Federal Actions to Address EJ</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which organization was created to empower communities in the southwest?

    <p>Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of waste was associated with the environmental implications discussed?

    <p>Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a long-term effect of exposure to ultraviolet light?

    <p>Retinal damage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which occupation is most likely to experience high exposure to radiation?

    <p>Nuclear power plant workers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a major advantage of nuclear energy?

    <p>Less air pollution compared to fossil fuels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    For how long can nuclear waste remain radioactive?

    <p>Thousands of years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of a dry cask in the management of nuclear waste?

    <p>To store the waste safely</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is a disadvantage of solar energy?

    <p>Reduces land for wildlife</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What principle does geothermal energy rely on?

    <p>Thermal energy from beneath Earth's surface</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the main disadvantages of wind power?

    <p>Intermittent resource</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What technology do photovoltaic cells utilize to generate electricity?

    <p>Solar radiation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) aim to ensure?

    <p>Safe use of radioactive materials</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which energy source is associated with the emission of greenhouse gases?

    <p>Fossil fuels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does exposure to radon have on workers?

    <p>Lung cancer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method is utilized in concentrated solar power (CSP) systems?

    <p>Reflective mirrors to focus sunlight</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is coal primarily used for today?

    <p>Generating electricity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which mining method involves blasting away entire mountaintops?

    <p>Mountaintop removal mining</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the negative environmental effects of subsurface mining?

    <p>Acid mine drainage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a human-made source of ionizing radiation?

    <p>Nuclear power generation facilities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is hydraulic fracturing primarily used for?

    <p>Extracting oil and natural gas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which health effect is specifically associated with exposure to coal dust?

    <p>Pneumoconiosis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of radiation can knock electrons out of atoms?

    <p>X-rays</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do Sieverts (Sv) measure?

    <p>Health risk of ionizing radiation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does fly ash, produced from burning coal, have on the environment?

    <p>Contains heavy metals like mercury</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes the natural breakdown of uranium that produces radon gas?

    <p>Radioactive decay</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a notable occupational health risk for workers at coal power plants?

    <p>COPD and asthma</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of radiation has enough energy to damage tissue and DNA?

    <p>Ultraviolet radiation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one common environmental impact of fracking?

    <p>Air pollution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons commonly found in?

    <p>Bottom ash from coal combustion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary mission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?

    <p>To protect human health and the environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What central theme does the EPA emphasize in its mission?

    <p>Environmental justice and civil rights</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which act requires federal agencies to consider the environment before major actions?

    <p>National Environmental Policy Act</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Clean Air Act primarily regulate?

    <p>Air emissions from mobile and stationary sources</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is established by the Safe Drinking Water Act?

    <p>Maximum contaminant levels in tap water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provide funds for?

    <p>Cleanup of contaminated waste sites</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) control?

    <p>Hazardous waste management and disposal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which act is specifically aimed at conserving endangered species and their habitats?

    <p>Endangered Species Act</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Maryland Senate Bill aims to phase out what type of ammunition for hunting?

    <p>Lead-based ammunition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What health effects are associated with lead toxicity?

    <p>Lower IQ and hypertension</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary source of methylmercury exposure for humans?

    <p>Diet, primarily through fish</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of pollutants does the Clean Water Act focus on regulating?

    <p>Pollutants discharged into water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are potential exposure routes for toxic metals?

    <p>Inhalation, dermal, and ingestion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)?

    <p>Requires testing and restrictions on chemicals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)?

    <p>To regulate the management of solid and hazardous waste</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the correct order of the waste management hierarchy?

    <p>Source reduction, recycling/composting, energy recovery, treatment and disposal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main function of a leachate sump in a sanitary landfill?

    <p>To collect and treat leachate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of occupational health?

    <p>Promoting overall well-being of workers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a stage of sewage treatment?

    <p>Composting</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which event led to the creation of CERCLA and the Superfund program?

    <p>The Love Canal incident</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is known as the father of occupational medicine?

    <p>Bernardino Ramazzini</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the 'polluter pays principle' entail?

    <p>Polluters are held financially responsible for cleanup costs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a common occupational disease caused by exposure to loud noise?

    <p>Hearing loss</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the recommended exposure limit (REL) defined by NIOSH?

    <p>A non-legally binding recommendation for exposure limits</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What major health effect is associated with long-term pesticide exposure for agricultural workers?

    <p>Reproductive and developmental issues</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following represents the highest level of control in the hierarchy of controls?

    <p>Elimination</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of waste does the Superfund program primarily address?

    <p>Hazardous waste sites</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who co-founded the United Farm Workers association?

    <p>Cesar Chavez</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Environmental Justice

    • Environmental justice is fair treatment for everyone regarding environmental laws and policies, ensuring equal protection and access to decision-making processes.
    • Differences in equity and equality are misunderstood, devaluing the experiences of those facing environmental justice concerns.
    • Environmental injustice happens when certain groups experience disproportionately high risks and harms, often because another group seeks benefits by taking advantage of them.
    • Examples include hazardous waste facilities sited in low-income communities and historical events like the Memphis sanitation strike.
    • Environmental racism involves disproportionate targeting of minority communities for toxic burdens like landfills and hazardous waste sites (e.g., Warren County, NC PCB landfill).

    Environmental Law and Policy

    • Environmental policy provides a framework for deliberate actions to prevent, reduce, or alleviate environmental harm. Environmental laws are court decisions concerning environmental protection.
    • Decision-making frameworks are designed to achieve outcomes in society. Standard principles and procedures must be followed.
    • Formal systems are governed by rules and guidelines, while informal frameworks are statements or documents explaining the desired effects.

    Environmental Policy Process

    • Environmental policy processes are typically reactive instead of proactive. The process involves discussion and debate, political action, legislative proposals, law and regulations, and compliance.
    • The U.S. Constitution establishes the framework for power distribution among branches of government, including executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
    • Precedent-setting court rulings shape common law within specific environmental situations.
    • Statutory laws are formally enacted by legislative branches.
    • Organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are involved in responding to environmental health issues. They provide global and national guidance, respectively.

    Environmental Laws in the U.S.

    • Important U.S. environmental laws include the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Clean Water and Air Acts, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund). These regulate pollutants emitted into air and water systems; hazardous waste; and the remediation of contaminated sites, respectively.

    Toxic Metals

    • Toxic metals, including heavy metals and other metallic compounds, are hazardous substances.
    • The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priority List of Hazardous Substances features a list of the substances known to pose the highest significant potential threat to human health.

    Energy and Waste Management

    • Energy sources, like fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and alternative energy (nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal) have various benefits and drawbacks—some renewable, some nonrenewable.
    • Waste, both hazardous and general waste, poses environmental and human health concerns
    • Waste disposal and management, including landfills, recycling, composting, and incineration, are crucial to mitigating risks.
    • Various laws and regulations govern handling, storage, and disposal processes to protect human health and the environment.

    Radiation

    • Radiation is energy that travels through space,
    • Radioactive materials include natural isotopes, man-made isotopes (nuclear testing, etc.) and those generated from industrial processes.
    • Ionizing radiation is high in energy, impacting atoms, potentially damaging the tissues and genetic material.
    • Non-ionizing radiation is low-energy and does not generally cause immediate visible damage. However, both categories have potential detrimental effects on public health in the long-term.

    Water Quality

    • Water quality is a crucial aspect of public health
    • Laws and regulations guide drinking water quality. Systems must adhere to standards for public health protection.
    • Water sources can be affected by different contaminations, including naturally occurring, industrial, municipal and agricultural.

    Occupational Health

    • Occupational health emphasizes the well-being of workers. Occupational diseases result from exposure to hazards in the workplace.
    • Common occupational illnesses affected by hazards like loud noises, toxic chemicals, repetitive motions, and radiation exposure.
    • Legal regulations like OSHA and NIOSH play vital roles in establishing workplace safety standards.

    Waste Management Laws

    • Laws like the Solid Waste Disposal Act are designed to assist states and public health professionals to ensure proper management of waste and to guide proper disposal.

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    Environmental Justice PDF

    Description

    This quiz explores the principles of environmental justice, focusing on fair treatment and equality in environmental laws and policies. It discusses the nuances between equity and equality, and highlights historical examples and issues of environmental racism. Test your knowledge on the injustices faced by marginalized communities in relation to environmental decision-making.

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