Protecting Our Environment Flashcards
6 cards from real IOSH practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Protecting Our Environment flashcards as text
What is 'WEEE' and what are the regulations?
Answer: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment — regulations requiring proper collection, treatment and recycling of electrical waste
WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. The WEEE Regulations require producers to finance the collection, treatment and recycling of electrical waste. Businesses must store WEEE separately and ensure it goes to authorised treatment facilities.
What is 'nuisance' in environmental law?
Answer: An activity or condition that unreasonably interferes with someone's use or enjoyment of land, or affects public health
In environmental law, nuisance can be statutory (premises prejudicial to health or a nuisance under the EPA 1990) or common law (unreasonable interference with someone's use of their land). Examples include noise, dust, odour, smoke, and light pollution. Local authorities can serve abatement notices.
What is 'fly-tipping' and what are the consequences?
Answer: The illegal dumping of waste on land that does not have a licence to accept it, carrying penalties of unlimited fines and imprisonment
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste on land without the appropriate licence or permission. It is a criminal offence under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, carrying penalties of an unlimited fine and/or up to 5 years' imprisonment in the Crown Court.
What does the 'circular economy' concept mean?
Answer: An economic model that keeps resources in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, remanufacture and recycling, minimising waste
The circular economy is a systemic approach to economic development that designs out waste and pollution, keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible (through reuse, repair, remanufacturing, recycling), and regenerates natural systems. It contrasts with the traditional linear 'take-make-dispose' model.
What is 'water pollution' and how can workplaces cause it?
Answer: The contamination of water bodies by harmful substances, which workplaces can cause through spills, surface water runoff, and improper waste disposal
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (rivers, groundwater, coastal waters) with harmful substances. Workplaces can cause it through: chemical or oil spills reaching drains, contaminated surface water runoff, improper waste disposal, leaking storage tanks, and discharge of trade effluent without consent.
What is an 'environmental management system' (EMS)?
Answer: A structured framework for managing an organisation's environmental impacts through policy, planning, implementation, checking and review
An EMS is a structured framework (such as ISO 14001 or EMAS) that helps organisations manage their environmental impacts systematically. It follows the PDCA cycle: establish a policy, plan objectives, implement controls, check performance through monitoring and audit, and review for continual improvement.