HSE Environmental Compliance and Protection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the difference between a 'point source' and a 'nonpoint source' of water pollution?
- Point sources are natural; nonpoint sources are man-made
- Point sources discharge from a discrete conveyance; nonpoint sources are diffuse discharges such as runoff (Correct answer)
- Point sources pollute groundwater; nonpoint sources pollute surface water
- Point sources are regulated by states; nonpoint sources are regulated by the EPA
Correct answer: Point sources discharge from a discrete conveyance; nonpoint sources are diffuse discharges such as runoff
Point sources are identifiable discharges from a single discrete location (e.g., a pipe), while nonpoint sources involve diffuse runoff and drainage from broad areas like agricultural fields.
Question 2: The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program under EPCRA Section 313 requires covered facilities to report annually on:
- Worker exposures to toxic chemicals
- Environmental releases and transfers of listed toxic chemicals (Correct answer)
- Chemical inventory quantities stored on-site
- Hazardous waste generated and disposed of
Correct answer: Environmental releases and transfers of listed toxic chemicals
TRI requires manufacturing and other covered facilities that use listed toxic chemicals above threshold amounts to report annual releases to air, water, and land, as well as off-site transfers.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a Tier II report submitted under EPCRA Section 312?
- To notify EPA of new chemical manufacturing processes
- To report annual chemical release quantities to air and water
- To provide local emergency planners with inventory data on hazardous chemicals stored at a facility (Correct answer)
- To document employee training on hazardous materials handling
Correct answer: To provide local emergency planners with inventory data on hazardous chemicals stored at a facility
Tier II reports inform State Emergency Response Commissions, Local Emergency Planning Committees, and local fire departments about the quantities, locations, and hazards of chemicals stored at a facility above threshold planning quantities.
Question 4: Under the Clean Air Act, a 'major source' of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) is defined as a facility that emits at least:
- 1 ton per year of any single HAP or 5 tons per year of all HAPs combined
- 5 tons per year of any single HAP or 10 tons per year of all HAPs combined
- 10 tons per year of any single HAP or 25 tons per year of all HAPs combined (Correct answer)
- 25 tons per year of any single HAP or 100 tons per year of all HAPs combined
Correct answer: 10 tons per year of any single HAP or 25 tons per year of all HAPs combined
Under CAA Section 112, a major source is defined as one that emits 10 tons per year or more of any single HAP, or 25 tons per year or more of any combination of HAPs.
Question 5: Which document must accompany a shipment of hazardous waste from a generator to a treatment, storage, or disposal facility (TSDF)?
- Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS/SDS)
- Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest (Correct answer)
- Bill of Lading
- Land Disposal Restriction Form
Correct answer: Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest
The Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest is a cradle-to-grave tracking document that must accompany all off-site hazardous waste shipments, tracking the waste from the generator to the TSDF.
Question 6: An environmental audit reveals that a facility has been storing hazardous waste for 95 days without a permit. Under RCRA, how should this be classified?
- An administrative violation with no regulatory consequence
- A violation because LQGs may only store waste for 90 days without a permit (Correct answer)
- Acceptable because the 180-day SQG storage limit has not been reached
- Not a violation if the waste has not been released to the environment
Correct answer: A violation because LQGs may only store waste for 90 days without a permit
Large Quantity Generators (LQGs) are only permitted to accumulate hazardous waste on-site for 90 days without a storage permit; exceeding this limit constitutes a regulatory violation.
Question 7: What does the term 'Total Maximum Daily Load' (TMDL) refer to under the Clean Water Act?
- The maximum daily discharge permitted under an NPDES permit
- The calculated maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards (Correct answer)
- The total weight of toxic chemicals stored at a facility per day
- The highest permissible daily emission rate for air pollutants
Correct answer: The calculated maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards
A TMDL is the total amount of a specific pollutant that an impaired water body can receive from all sources (point, nonpoint, and natural background) while still attaining its water quality standard.
HSE Environmental Compliance and Protection 3
Which of the following best describes the difference between a 'point source' and a 'nonpoint source' of water pollution?