Environmental Regulations Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the main by-product of thermal decomposition related to combustion?

Carbon dioxide gas

Nitrogen gas

Carbon monoxide gas (correct)

Oxygen gas

Which of the following elements is known for its vigorous reaction with moisture?

Gold

Sodium (correct)

Iron

Copper

Which act regulates hazardous waste from generation to disposal?

Superfund Amendment Reauthorization Act

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

Toxic Substances Control Act

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (correct)

What is the primary focus of the Superfund program?

Cleanup of hazardous waste sites Signup and view all the answers

Which legislation established a trust fund for cleanup of hazardous waste sites?

Superfund program under CERCLA Signup and view all the answers

What is emphasized in the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act regarding hazardous waste sites?

Permanent remedies and innovative treatment technologies Signup and view all the answers

What does the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provide concerning hazardous waste?

Liabilities for responsible parties and cleanup funding Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following tanks are exempt from regulations related to underground storage?

Septic tanks used for storm water collection Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT a characteristic of the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP)?

It requires a dilution process with sulfuric acid Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following substances is generally excluded from provisions under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)?

Food and drugs Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about tanks regulated under UST is incorrect?

Tanks storing noncommercial heating oil on premises are fully regulated. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP)?

To determine the potential hazard of leachate from wastes Signup and view all the answers

What is one primary use of reliable measurements of airborne contaminants?

To assess the potential health effects of exposure Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of personal protective equipment (PPE)?

To shield or isolate individuals from hazards Signup and view all the answers

Why is site control important in hazardous environments?

To prevent vandalism and minimize contamination Signup and view all the answers

What process is essential for protecting workers from contaminants on equipment?

Decontamination procedures Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary duties of the Council on Environmental Quality under NEPA?

Gathering information on environmental conditions and trends Signup and view all the answers

What does the NEPA process primarily evaluate?

Environmental effects and alternatives of federal undertakings Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about airborne contaminant measurements is false?

They are used solely for regulatory compliance Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of personal protective equipment is most crucial at a hazardous waste site?

Its ability to shield against various hazards Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the role of decontamination?

Neutralizing or removing contaminants from personnel and equipment Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the solid waste program under RCRA Subtitle D?

Development of comprehensive plans for nonhazardous industrial solid waste and municipal solid waste Signup and view all the answers

Which act establishes a system for controlling hazardous waste from generation to disposal?

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C Signup and view all the answers

What type of waste management does RCRA Subtitle I regulate?

Underground storage tanks containing petroleum products Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT excluded under RCRA regulations?

Used oil management standards Signup and view all the answers

What does the phrase 'ensuring that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner' imply?

Wastes must be processed and disposed of to minimize environmental impact Signup and view all the answers

Which component of RCRA’s solid waste program sets criteria for municipal solid waste landfills?

Subtitle D Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary goals of reducing the amount of waste generated?

Minimizing the environmental impact of waste management Signup and view all the answers

Which substances are typically excluded from RCRA regulations?

Irrigation return flow Signup and view all the answers

What is one characteristic of responsibly managing solid waste according to RCRA?

Ensuring wastes are not left untreated and unmanaged Signup and view all the answers

What does RCRA specifically prohibit regarding solid waste disposal?

Open dumping of solid waste Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Environmental Assessment (EA)?

To determine if a federal undertaking may significantly affect the environment Signup and view all the answers

Which legal framework does the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) primarily govern?

Disposal of solid waste only in active and future facilities Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a Categorical Exclusion from an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)?

Categorical Exclusions do not require a detailed environmental analysis, while EIS does Signup and view all the answers

What role does Title I of the Act play in evaluating federal programs?

It outlines goals for improving overall environmental policies Signup and view all the answers

Which outcome occurs if an Environmental Assessment determines significant environmental effects?

A more detailed analysis called Environmental Impact Statement is prepared Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary focus of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act?

Disposing of active and future solid and hazardous waste facilities Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of a Finding Of No Significant Impact (FONSI)?

It confirms that no further environmental studies are necessary Signup and view all the answers

Which action does NOT fall under the categories determined by federal agencies for Categorical Exclusions?

Undertaking projects with significant environmental risks Signup and view all the answers

What type of studies are promoted under the goals established in Title I of the Act?

Research to improve national and environmental policies Signup and view all the answers

Which Act regulates abandoned or historical sites not covered by RCRA?

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Domain 7: Environmental Management

Percentage: 7.38%

Hazardous Materials

Definition: Any solid, liquid, or gas that can harm people, living things, property, or the environment.
Characteristics: Radioactive, flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive, biohazard, oxidizer, asphyxiant, or allergen.
Hazardous waste: Solid waste whose quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, or disposed of.
Solid waste: Discarded material disposed of, burned, incinerated, or recycled. Can be solid, liquid, semi-solid, or gaseous.
Plasma: A gas with a portion of particles ionized, electrically conductive, and considered a distinct state of matter
Density: Mass per unit volume (d = m/v)
Specific Gravity (SGx): Ratio of material density to water density (SGx = dx /d water)
- SG < 1: Lighter than water, floats
- SG > 1: Heavier than water, sinks
Solubility: Solute dissolving in a liquid solvent to form homogeneous solution. Affected by solvent, temperature, and pressure. Usually measured in ppm (parts per million).
Vapor Density (VD): Weight of a unit volume of gas or vapor compared to the equivalent volume of air.
- VD < 1: Lighter than air, tends to rise and dissipate
- VD > 1: Heavier than air, tends to concentrate in low places

Physical Hazards

Engulfment: Worker surrounded by granular substance (e.g., soil, sand) or liquid
Overpressurization: Increase in ambient temperature around a container, can lead to fires and explosions. Related to combined gas law
Fires and Explosions: Chemical reactions, ignition of explosives, agitation of shock- or friction-sensitive compounds, sudden material release under pressure.
Corrosion: Disintegration of engineered material due to chemical reactions, electrochemical oxidation, localised pitting/cracks, or uniform surface corrosion, often from oxidation.
Thermal Decomposition: Incomplete combustion by-products such as carbon monoxide.
Water Reactivity: Chemicals reacting vigorously with moisture, often creating extreme heat and potentially flammable, corrosive, and toxic byproducts. (e.g., sodium, potassium, lithium, aluminium alkyls)

Regulations

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA): Governs hazardous waste from cradle to grave (generation, treatment, storage, disposal).
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund): Liability of persons responsible for hazardous waste releases and trust fund for cleanup.
Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act (SARA): Focus on human health, settlement tools, and citizen participation related to cleanup.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): Protection of public from chemical emergencies.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA): Pesticide registration, approval by EPA of product label, classifications (general use, restricted use)
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (1986): Asbestos removal to prevent exposures.

EPA Hazardous Waste Categories

Large quantity generator (LQG): >1000 kg (2200 lb) per month of hazardous waste generation
Small quantity generator (SQG): 100-1000 kg (220-2200 lb) per month of hazardous waste generation
Conditionally exempt small quantity generator (CESQG): <100 kg (220 lb) per month of hazardous waste generation

Hazardous Waste Operations

Planning and Organization: Development of overall organizational structure, work plans, and site safety plans.
Training: Employee rights and responsibilities, safe work practices, hazard identification, emergency handling, self-rescue, and safe equipment operation.
Medical Program: Pre-employment screenings, periodic medical examinations, termination examinations, treatment (emergency/non-emergency), and record-keeping.
Site Characterization: Assessment of site conditions prior to entry. Offsite and onsite surveys, ongoing monitoring for airborne contaminants.
Air Monitoring: Contaminant assessment; selection of appropriate PPE, identification of relevant protection zones, evaluating health effects of exposure levels.
Personal Protective Equipment: Shield or isolate against chemical, physical, and biological hazards at the site.
Site Control: Minimize potential contamination of workers, protect the public, and prevent vandalism.
Decontamination: Removal of accumulated contaminants on personnel and equipment

Nine Classes of Hazardous Materials

Descriptions for each class are included in the document.

1- Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste

Regulation (40 CFR Part 262): Responsibilities of hazardous waste generators (identification number, manifest preparation, proper packaging, labeling, accumulation units standards, reporting requirements).
Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs): Prohibiting disposal of hazardous waste on land without prior treatment (solvents, electroplating wastes, heavy metals, acids).
Hazardous waste: Includes flashpoint less than 140 °F, corrosive materials (pH≤2 or pH≥12.5), materials that react with exposure to air or moisture. Toxic or harmful materials that can pose a threat to human health or the environment.
Acute hazardous wastes: Contain dangerous chemicals posing a threat in managed settings.

2- Universal Waste

Batteries, agricultural pesticides, and thermostats

3- Used Oil Management Standards

Definition: Any oil (synthetic or refined) contaminated from use.
Criteria: Refined from crude oil, synthetic, use (e.g., lubricant, hydraulic fluids, heat transfer).
Contamination: Physical and chemical impurities: dirt, metal, water, or chemicals; excludes animal and botanical oils.

4- Underground Storage Tanks

Definition: Tank and any underground piping components with at least 10% of combined volume underground.
Exclusions: Farm Tanks (≤1100 gal), Tanks holding heating oil (on-premises), tanks in basements or tunnels, septic tanks, flow-through process tanks, tanks (≤110 gal), emergency spill tanks.
Agricultural USTs: less than 1100 gal is excluded from regulation.
Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP): Procedure to identify if waste is hazardous due to metals (or toxins) and testing for trace materials in diluted solutions.

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Registration Criteria

Purpose: Federal control of pesticide distribution, sale, and use.
Registration criteria: Composition, labeling, function, and environmental effect.
Product chemistry: Relevant chemical data, manufacturing process, and physical/chemical characteristics.
Environmental fate: Effects of pesticide residues on the environment.
Residue chemistry: Expected concentrations, frequency, and duration of pesticide residues.
Other information (hazards to humans and nontarget organisms): Includes acute, subchronic, and chronic toxicity, skin and eye irritation potential, and potential exposure routes.
Unreasonable adverse effects on the environment: Risks to people and the environment, considering economic, social, and environmental factors.

Clean Air Act (CAA) 1970, and 1990

Regulations: Stationary and mobile sources, National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), major sources, area sources.
Major sources: Stationary sources or groups that emit 10 tons/year or more of a hazardous air pollutant, or 25 tons/year or more of a combination of hazardous air pollutants.
Area source: Stationary sources that are not major sources.
Risk categories: acid rain, urban air pollution, and toxic air emissions; components are hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and air pollutants.
Permitting Programs: Applications reviewed within 12 months of the effective date of a permit and EPA review within 45 days. Permit duration: fixed term are up to 5 years.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key environmental regulations and hazardous waste management. This quiz covers important legislation such as CERCLA and the Superfund program, as well as specific hazardous waste disposal practices. Assess your understanding of environmental compliance and safety protocols.