CHMM Pollution Prevention and Sustainability 2

Question 1

The ISO 14001 standard is relevant to pollution prevention because it:

Accepted Answer

Provides a framework for establishing an Environmental Management System to improve environmental performance systematically

Answer

Sets numeric emission limits for industrial air pollutants

Answer

Certifies facilities that have achieved zero-waste status

Answer

Specifies approved analytical methods for hazardous waste characterization

Question 2

In the context of pollution prevention, 'material substitution' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Replacing a hazardous raw material or chemical with a less hazardous or non-hazardous alternative

Answer

Substituting one approved disposal method for another when costs are prohibitive

Answer

Exchanging hazardous waste between facilities under a waste exchange program

Answer

Replacing outdated compliance records with current documentation

Question 3

Which metric is most directly useful for evaluating the effectiveness of a pollution prevention program?

Accepted Answer

Reduction in the quantity or toxicity of waste generated per unit of production over time

Answer

Total amount of hazardous waste disposed of at permitted facilities

Answer

Number of OSHA recordable incidents in the facility

Answer

Total regulatory compliance fines avoided in the reporting period

Question 4

The concept of 'industrial ecology' contributes to pollution prevention by:

Accepted Answer

Applying natural ecosystem principles so that waste from one industry becomes a resource for another

Answer

Relocating industrial facilities to rural areas to minimize urban pollution impacts

Answer

Requiring industries to plant trees to offset their carbon emissions

Answer

Mandating biological treatment of all industrial wastewater before discharge

Question 5

Under EPCRA Section 313, facilities required to report to the Toxics Release Inventory must also submit information on their:

Accepted Answer

Source reduction and recycling activities for each listed chemical

Answer

Emergency response plans and evacuation routes

Answer

OSHA recordable injury and illness rates by chemical exposure

Answer

Groundwater monitoring well data for listed chemicals

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of 'product reformulation' as a pollution prevention strategy?

Accepted Answer

Changing a paint formula to eliminate lead-based pigments

Answer

Installing a baghouse to capture particulate emissions from a manufacturing line

Answer

Recycling spent solvent back into the production process

Answer

Segregating hazardous waste streams to reduce treatment costs

Question 7

Sustainable procurement, as applied in pollution prevention, primarily involves:

Accepted Answer

Selecting products and suppliers based on environmental performance criteria to reduce upstream impacts

Answer

Purchasing offsets to compensate for unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions

Answer

Negotiating lower disposal costs with licensed hazardous waste facilities

Answer

Obtaining multi-year contracts to stabilize hazardous material supply chains