Environmental Management Flashcards
7 cards from real ASP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Environmental Management flashcards as text
Under CERCLA (Superfund), which party can be held liable for cleanup costs at a contaminated site even if they properly disposed of waste according to regulations at the time?
Answer: Any potentially responsible party including past owners, operators, and waste generators
CERCLA imposes strict, joint and several liability on all PRPs — current owners, past owners, operators, arrangers, and transporters — regardless of regulatory compliance at the time of disposal.
A facility's stormwater runoff from an industrial site must be managed under which specific Clean Water Act program?
Answer: NPDES Industrial Stormwater Permit program
Industrial facilities disturbing stormwater must obtain an NPDES stormwater permit (often a general permit) and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).
The 'bubble concept' under the Clean Air Act allows a facility to:
Answer: Exempt new emission sources from permitting if total facility emissions stay below thresholds
The bubble concept treats an entire plant as a single emission source, allowing internal emission offsets so that new or modified sources don't trigger NSR permitting as long as net facility emissions don't increase.
Which environmental management tool uses a 'cradle-to-grave' approach to evaluate the total environmental impact of a product or process?
Answer: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Life Cycle Assessment quantifies environmental impacts across all stages of a product's life — from raw material extraction through production, use, and end-of-life disposal.
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the land disposal restrictions (LDRs) program primarily requires that hazardous wastes:
Answer: Meet specific treatment standards before land disposal
LDRs prohibit land disposal of hazardous wastes until they have been treated to meet EPA-specified technology-based or concentration-based treatment standards.
A safety professional identifying that a facility's boiler emissions require a Title V operating permit under the Clean Air Act should recognize that Title V applies to:
Answer: Major sources emitting above threshold quantities of regulated air pollutants
Title V permits are required for major sources, generally those emitting 100 tons/year or more of a regulated pollutant (lower thresholds apply in non-attainment areas and for HAPs).
When conducting an environmental audit, the primary distinction between a compliance audit and a management system audit is that a management system audit evaluates:
Answer: The effectiveness of the organization's processes for achieving environmental objectives
A management system audit assesses whether the EMS is properly implemented and effective at achieving goals, whereas a compliance audit checks adherence to specific legal requirements.