Environmental Aspects & Legal Compliance Flashcards

Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), a facility generates small quantities of hazardous waste. Which EMS element is most directly implicated?

Answer: Compliance obligation tied to the hazardous waste generation aspect

RCRA generator requirements are compliance obligations that the organization must track and fulfill in relation to its hazardous waste generation aspect.

An internal auditor is reviewing a company's aspects register and notices that energy consumption is listed but has no associated impact or significance rating. What should the auditor do?

Answer: Flag a nonconformity for incomplete aspect evaluation

ISO 14001 requires that identified aspects be evaluated for their associated environmental impacts and significance; an incomplete evaluation is a nonconformity.

Which of the following scenarios represents an environmental aspect arising under 'abnormal operating conditions'?

Answer: Boiler startup after scheduled maintenance with elevated emissions

Equipment startup after maintenance is an abnormal condition that can produce elevated emissions differing from normal operations and must be considered in the aspects register.

A company voluntarily subscribes to EPA's Green Power Partnership. Under ISO 14001:2015, this commitment is classified as:

Answer: A voluntary compliance obligation (other requirement) under Clause 6.1.3

Voluntary programs like EPA's Green Power Partnership are 'other requirements' that the organization has chosen to adopt, making them compliance obligations under ISO 14001.

An EMS auditor interviews an operator who cannot identify any environmental aspects associated with their daily chemical transfer tasks. This finding most likely indicates a gap in which EMS element?

Answer: Environmental awareness and competence training (Clause 7.3/7.2)

Workers must be aware of the significant aspects related to their work; an operator who cannot identify relevant aspects indicates a training and awareness gap.

When does ISO 14001:2015 require an organization to consider environmental aspects of products and services provided by external providers?

Answer: When the organization can control or influence the provider's environmental performance

ISO 14001 requires organizations to consider indirect aspects from external providers when they have the ability to control or influence those activities.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between an organization's environmental aspects register and its operational controls?

Answer: Operational controls are established to manage significant aspects and meet compliance obligations

Operational controls are designed specifically to manage the significant aspects identified in the register and ensure compliance obligations are met.