HIC Health Inspector Environmental Health & Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Clean Air Act, which pollutant is classified as a 'criteria pollutant' and subject to National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)?
- Radon
- Asbestos
- Ground-level ozone (Correct answer)
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Correct answer: Ground-level ozone
Ground-level ozone is one of six criteria pollutants regulated by EPA under NAAQS, which set permissible concentration limits to protect public health.
Question 2: A restaurant's walk-in cooler is measured at 45°F. Which regulatory action is most appropriate?
- Issue an immediate closure order
- Require the unit to be repaired within 90 days
- Issue a corrective action notice requiring temperature at or below 41°F (Correct answer)
- Document the finding but take no immediate action
Correct answer: Issue a corrective action notice requiring temperature at or below 41°F
FDA Food Code requires cold-holding temperatures at or below 41°F; a corrective action notice documents the violation and requires prompt repair.
Question 3: Which federal agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Correct answer)
- Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Correct answer: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The EPA administers the SDWA, which authorizes it to set national standards for drinking water quality at public water systems.
Question 4: A health inspector finds a septic system within 50 feet of a private well. What is the primary public health concern?
- Vector breeding habitat
- Nitrate and pathogen contamination of drinking water (Correct answer)
- Excessive surface runoff
- Air quality degradation from hydrogen sulfide
Correct answer: Nitrate and pathogen contamination of drinking water
Septic systems located too close to wells risk contaminating drinking water with nitrates, bacteria, and viruses that travel through soil.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a non-point source of water pollution?
- A wastewater treatment plant discharge pipe
- Agricultural runoff carrying fertilizers into a stream (Correct answer)
- An industrial facility's stormwater outfall
- A ship's bilge water discharge
Correct answer: Agricultural runoff carrying fertilizers into a stream
Agricultural runoff is a classic non-point source because pollutants enter waterways diffusely over a large area rather than from a single identifiable discharge point.
Question 6: When conducting a vector control inspection, a health inspector identifies standing water in discarded tires on a residential property. What vector is most directly associated with this finding?
- Rats
- Cockroaches
- Mosquitoes (Correct answer)
- Flies
Correct answer: Mosquitoes
Discarded tires collect rainwater and create ideal stagnant water breeding habitats for Aedes and Culex mosquito species.
Question 7: Under RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), which category of waste requires the most stringent regulatory controls?
- Solid waste
- Universal waste
- Listed hazardous waste (Correct answer)
- Construction and demolition debris
Correct answer: Listed hazardous waste
Listed hazardous wastes (F, K, P, and U lists) are subject to cradle-to-grave tracking, strict storage limits, and approved disposal requirements under RCRA Subtitle C.
HIC Health Inspector Environmental Health & Regulations 2
Under the Clean Air Act, which pollutant is classified as a 'criteria pollutant' and subject to National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)?