CPWM Regulatory Compliance and Safety 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under 40 CFR Part 265, which type of waste management unit is subject to interim status standards for ground-water monitoring?
- Surface impoundments only
- Landfills only
- Land treatment units only
- Surface impoundments, waste piles, landfills, and land treatment units (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Surface impoundments, waste piles, landfills, and land treatment units
40 CFR 265 Subpart F requires ground-water monitoring for surface impoundments, waste piles, landfills, and land treatment units during interim status.
Question 2: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 (HAZWOPER) requires that employees engaged in emergency response operations at hazardous waste sites receive at minimum how many hours of initial training?
- 8 hours
- 16 hours
- 24 hours
- 40 hours (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 40 hours
HAZWOPER requires 40 hours of off-site training plus 3 days of supervised field experience for workers at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
Question 3: Which regulation governs the transportation of hazardous materials, including hazardous waste, by all modes of transportation in the US?
- 49 CFR Parts 171-180 (HMR) (Correct answer)
- 40 CFR Part 263
- 29 CFR 1910.120
- 49 CFR Part 391
Correct answer: 49 CFR Parts 171-180 (HMR)
The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) at 49 CFR Parts 171-180, enforced by PHMSA, govern the transport of hazardous materials by all modes.
Question 4: A landfill accepting municipal solid waste must meet minimum criteria under which federal regulation?
- 40 CFR Part 258 (Subtitle D) (Correct answer)
- 40 CFR Part 264 (Subtitle C)
- 40 CFR Part 503
- 40 CFR Part 60 Subpart WWW
Correct answer: 40 CFR Part 258 (Subtitle D)
40 CFR Part 258 establishes minimum federal criteria for municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) under RCRA Subtitle D.
Question 5: Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), what threshold planning quantity (TPQ) triggers reporting for Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS)?
- The TPQ varies by substance and is listed in 40 CFR Part 355 Appendices A and B (Correct answer)
- 500 pounds for all EHS substances
- 1,000 pounds for all EHS substances
- 10,000 pounds for all EHS substances
Correct answer: The TPQ varies by substance and is listed in 40 CFR Part 355 Appendices A and B
EPCRA Section 302 requires facilities to notify their SERC and LEPC if they have an EHS at or above its substance-specific TPQ listed in 40 CFR Part 355.
Question 6: Which of the following is the correct hierarchy of EPA enforcement responses, from least to most severe?
- Notice of Violation → Administrative Order → Civil Judicial → Criminal (Correct answer)
- Warning letter → Notice of Violation → Criminal → Civil Judicial
- Inspection → Civil Judicial → Administrative Order → Criminal
- Administrative Order → Notice of Violation → Civil Judicial → Criminal
Correct answer: Notice of Violation → Administrative Order → Civil Judicial → Criminal
EPA typically escalates from informal (Notice of Violation) to administrative orders, then civil judicial actions, and finally criminal prosecution for the most serious violations.
Question 7: Personal protective equipment (PPE) Level A provides the highest level of protection and is characterized by which combination?
- Full-face air-purifying respirator and chemical-resistant suit
- SCBA and fully encapsulating vapor-protective suit (Correct answer)
- Half-mask respirator and Tyvek coveralls
- Powered air-purifying respirator and chemical splash suit
Correct answer: SCBA and fully encapsulating vapor-protective suit
Level A protection includes a fully encapsulating vapor-tight chemical-protective suit and SCBA, providing maximum protection against vapors, gases, and particulates.
CPWM Regulatory Compliance and Safety 3
Under 40 CFR Part 265, which type of waste management unit is subject to interim status standards for ground-water monitoring?