LIVING WITH THE EARTH
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What is the next step in the process if both senate and house pass a bill but have some differences?
2. There are eight (8) regulatory approaches to environmental compliance. Based on the following list, which does not apply?
3. Whenever a person uses his/her property to cause material injury or annoyance to a neighbor, these actions constitute a ________________?
4. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) applies to facilities and agencies that do which of the following with hazardous waste?
5. Under RCRA definition, a waste that explodes or reacts with water or acid and is unstable, is considered to be ______________ ?
6. Off-site shipments of hazardous waste must be labeled and marked according to requirements of what agency?
7. A step in the Superfund process is to identify "PRPs" that can be required to finance cleanup activities. PRPs refer to:
8. If you are responsible for, or aware of a substance that has been discharged or released into the environment in an amount which exceeds its listed "RQ" under SARA Title III, what must you do according to these regulations?
9. UN based packaging regulations divide hazardous materials into Groups I, II, or III. The most hazardous materials fall into which group ________________?
10. "Source reduction" refers to the deliberate decrease in the amounts of any hazardous substance, contaminant or pollutant that enters the environment prior to recycling, treatment or disposal. This practice is most closely associated with what federal regulation ?
11. Many companies are encouraged by the USEPA and State Environmentl Protection Agencies to follow certain policies in dealing with environmental pollution. This now normally involves the use of _________.
12. According to a federal Underground Storage Tank (UST) law found under RCRA, tanks storing petroleum or hazardous chemicals are required to have leak detection systems installed by what date _____________ ?
13. If only 10 percent of the volume of petroleum is contained in pipes underground attached to the tank, does the system still qualify as a UST under federal regulations?
14. Which of the following is not an indicator pollutant for regulation under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) provisions?
15. Reformulated gasoline ("oxygenated fuel") with a 2 percent minimum oxygen content is required during the winter months in non-attainment areas for carbon monoxide. Which of the substances listed below may be added to fuel to render it oxygenated ?
16. The federal Clean Water Act (CWA) and its amendments apply primarily to__________.
17. Runoff that results from rain falling on roofs, roads, parking lots, loading docks, storage areas and other areas exposed to rain is referred to as ___________________ ?
18. These actions may be covered by a portion of tort law that deals with acts not intended to inflict injury but where persons may be harmed by the careless and improper actions of another, such as the improper disposal of hazardous wastes.
19. Environmetal law is a system of laws that encompass all of the environmental protections that originate from all the sources listed below except::
20. There are several elements to a proactive environmental management program. Which of one of the following does NOT apply.
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TRUE AND FALSE
1. If only 20 percent of the volume of petroleum is contained in pipes underground attached to the tank, the system will qualify as a UST under federal regulatons.
T _____ F ______ False - pg. 13-16
2. A company or agency remains responsible for the proper disposal of hazardous waste even after it leaves their property ?
T _____ F ______ True - pg. 13-10
3. In order for an employee to be prosecuted for negligent violation (giving rise to criminal liability), the law must demonstrate the actions were intentional.
T _____ F ______ False - pg. 13-6
4. A large quantity generator of is defined as one that produces 1,000 kilograms or more of hazardous wastes in a year.
T _____ F ______ False - pg. 13-7
5. In some states, used oil (such as motor oil) that is not recycled is designated a hazardous waste.
T _____ F ______ True - pg. 13-8
6. A waste is considered hazardous if it has a pH greater than 10.
T _____ F ______ False - pg. 13-9
7. The first step in implementing CERCLA is to locate or find the hazardous waste site(s).
T _____ F ______ True - pg. 13-10
8. The purpose of SARA Title III is to assure the public and emergency response agencies that information regarding hazardous chemicals is available to them.
T _____ F ______ True - pg. 13-12
9. The Department of transportation (DOT) regulates the disposal of hazardous wastes shipped by truck.
T _____ F ______ False - pg. 13-13
10. Source reduction must be reported by facilities generating over a certain amount of toxic emissions during the prevous calendar year.
T _____ F ______ True - pg. 13-15
11. Septic tanks, heating oil tanks, and residential fuel tanks are regulated under the federal UST law.
T _____ F ______ False - pg. 13-16
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ESSAY/SHORT ANSWER
1. There are eight forms compliance that are normally found in the environmental law system. List and discuss three of them.
Notification requirements are meant to deal with any intended or accidental releases of pollutants or hazardous wastes that need to be immediately reported to local and state and/or federal authorities. Failure to do so can significantly impact the environment, endanger public health, and cause significant liability to the persons associated with the release. Discharge or waste controls are regulations designed to prevent or minimize the discharge, release, or disposal of wastes and pollutants into the environment. Process controls and pollution prevention are regulations that promote minimizing waste generation, reducing the quantities produced and released, and preventing the release or discharge of pollutants into the environment. Product controls can reduce the generation and disposal of solid waste by altering the design or packaging of a product, along with the process by which it may be produced. Some regulations promote the use of less hazardous materials and reduced packaging to achieve these goals.The regulation of activities that threaten natural habitat, fragile ecosystems, and vital resources may be necessary to provide protection for resources, endangered species, or habitat. Some of those activities include mining, harvesting of lumber, oil refining, and construction. Safe transportation requirements recognize that accidents and spills along our highways occur at an enormous rate, and laws have been established to reduce the risks associated with the transport of hazardous materials. These laws provide for special packaging, labeling, placarding, operator training, and methods of response. Response and remediation laws have been promulgated that regulate the cleanup of pollutants and hazardous wastes released to the environment. Laws such as CERCLA have specific provisions for the payment of cleanup costs. These same laws provide for compensation requirements requiring responsible parties to pay for cleanup costs for damages done to the health or environment of the private sector. Compensation for damages done to public assets may be recovered by representatives of the "public interest."(page, 13-4)
2. List and discuss the types of hazard waste classifications used in RCRA.
There are two types of hazardous wastes; (1) listed and (2) characteristic. Listed wastes include hundreds of hazardous wastes including wastes from nonspecific sources (F Wastes), manufacturing process (K Wastes), and discarded chemical products (P and U Wastes) which are listed in the RCRA regulations. The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Part 261, Subpart D, contains these lists of hazardous wastes. Products which are not listed may be characteristically hazardous. Under the direction of RCRA, the USEPA developed generalized criteria for evaluating the potential hazard produced by a waste. The four criteria include:
The USEPA has developed lists of hundreds of hazardous wastes using these criteria. Generators of nonlisted waste must analyze the waste to determine if it exceeds the USEPA standards. If the waste exceeds any of the USEPA's four criteria, it is considered a "characteristic hazardous waste." (page, 13-9)
3. Briefly idiscuss the UN (United Nations) packaging and labelng requirements regarding hazardous materials.
As defined by HMTA, hazardous materials are those which are capable of creating an "unreasonable risk" to health, safety or property while being transported. Any hazardous substance listed in DOT regulations (49 Code of Federal Regulations sections 172.101, 172.102) which is transported in a package containing a quantity that equals or exceeds the listed reportable quantities (RQs) is considered a regulated material. Each hazardous material is designated by DOT and depending on its risk to health, safety or property, is assigned to classes and divisions. Each class has specific packaging, handling, labeling and registration requirements.
Packaging, labeling and construction requirements must now meet United Nations (UN) recommendations. There are three packaging groups under the UN-based regulations: Group I for the most hazardous to Group III for the least hazardous. Shipping papers must accompany every shipment. Basic information must be provided within the papers including: name of shipper, shipping names of materials, hazard class, standard materials ID numbers under either the UN or NA (North America) system, packaging group (if there is one), quantity of each material being shipped, and the emergency response telephone number.
All containers being shipped must be appropriately marked and labeled. The labels must include the proper shipping name, ID number, and the consignee's name and address. The labels are distinctively diamond shaped which must clearly identify the hazard class. Even the size, color and text of each label is specifically laid out by DOT (Fig 13-3). Transport vehicles must also display placard(s) in a specified pattern. Emergency response information must also accompany each hazardous material being transported. The transporting company must also provide a monitored 24-hour emergency response telephone number. (page, 13-13)