Environmental Standards Flashcards

As of what year did U.S. production and import of newly made R-22 (HCFC-22) refrigerant end?

Answer: 2020

Under the Montreal Protocol phaseout, production and import of new R-22 ended on January 1, 2020, so only recovered or reclaimed supply remains.

Under Clean Air Act Section 608, which type of refrigerant release is NOT considered a prohibited venting violation?

Answer: De minimis releases during good-faith recovery and recycling

Only de minimis releases that happen while following proper recovery and recycling practices are exempt from the venting prohibition.

Which third-party certification is widely used to specify environmentally preferable janitorial cleaning products?

Answer: Green Seal

Green Seal standards, such as GS-37, certify cleaning products that meet health and environmental criteria.

Which free EPA online tool do building managers use to track energy and water use and benchmark it against similar buildings?

Answer: ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager

Portfolio Manager is EPA's benchmarking tool, and many city benchmarking ordinances require building owners to use it.

Occupants report headaches and fatigue that go away soon after they leave the building, and no specific cause can be found. This is best described as:

Answer: Sick building syndrome

Sick building syndrome involves nonspecific symptoms linked to time in a building with no identifiable cause, unlike building-related illness.

Under federal universal waste rules, how long may a handler generally keep universal waste such as batteries and lamps on-site?

Answer: Up to one year

Universal waste handlers may generally store universal waste for up to one year from the date it was generated.

Which ASHRAE standard defines thermal environmental conditions for human occupancy, such as temperature and humidity comfort ranges?

Answer: ASHRAE Standard 55

ASHRAE 55 sets the conditions that give acceptable thermal comfort to most occupants.