CEI Hazardous Materials & Remediation Flashcards
6 cards from real CEI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CEI Hazardous Materials & Remediation flashcards as text
Under RCRA, which category of hazardous waste is defined by specific characteristics such as ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity?
Answer: Characteristic waste
Characteristic hazardous wastes are defined by four measurable properties — ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity — rather than appearing on a specific EPA list.
What is 'pump and treat' commonly used to accomplish during groundwater remediation?
Answer: Extract contaminated groundwater and treat it above ground before discharge
Pump and treat systems extract contaminated groundwater to the surface, treat it using physical or chemical processes, and then discharge or reinject the treated water.
Which term describes the concentration of a contaminant in soil or water at which no adverse health effects are expected over a lifetime of exposure?
Answer: Risk-Based Cleanup Level (RBCL)
Risk-Based Cleanup Levels are site-specific concentrations calculated using toxicological data and exposure assumptions to be protective of human health.
What is the role of a Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) under CERCLA?
Answer: An entity that may be held liable for cleanup costs at a Superfund site
PRPs include current and former owners/operators, generators, and transporters who may be held jointly and severally liable for cleanup costs under CERCLA.
During a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, what activity distinguishes it from a Phase I?
Answer: Collecting and analyzing environmental samples
A Phase II ESA involves actual collection and laboratory analysis of soil, groundwater, or building material samples to confirm or refute suspected contamination identified in Phase I.
Which remediation approach uses natural attenuation processes — biodegradation, dilution, sorption — to reduce contaminant concentrations without active intervention?
Answer: Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA)
Monitored Natural Attenuation relies on naturally occurring physical, chemical, and biological processes to reduce contaminant levels while performance is verified through a monitoring network.