IOSH Protecting Our Environment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'waste transfer note'?
- A letter of resignation from a waste management company
- A document that must accompany controlled waste when it is transferred from one party to another, describing the waste and the parties involved (Correct answer)
- A note left for the binman requesting extra collections
- A bank transfer receipt for waste disposal payments
Correct answer: A document that must accompany controlled waste when it is transferred from one party to another, describing the waste and the parties involved
A waste transfer note is a legal document required when controlled waste is transferred from one holder to another. It must contain a description of the waste, its quantity, the type of container, the date of transfer, details of the transferor and transferee, and their waste carrier/permit details.
Question 2: What is 'hazardous waste' and how must it be managed?
- Any waste that is heavy or bulky
- Waste that has properties making it harmful to human health or the environment, requiring special handling, storage, transport and disposal (Correct answer)
- Waste that is produced in large quantities
- Any waste from a construction site
Correct answer: Waste that has properties making it harmful to human health or the environment, requiring special handling, storage, transport and disposal
Hazardous waste has one or more hazardous properties (explosive, oxidising, flammable, irritant, toxic, carcinogenic, corrosive, infectious, etc.). It must be segregated from non-hazardous waste, stored safely, transported by registered carriers, and disposed of at authorised facilities with hazardous waste consignment notes.
Question 3: What is 'bunding' and why is it important for environmental protection?
- A type of waste compaction
- A secondary containment structure (such as a wall or barrier) around storage tanks to contain spills and prevent environmental contamination (Correct answer)
- A method for recycling construction waste
- A technique for measuring air pollution
Correct answer: A secondary containment structure (such as a wall or barrier) around storage tanks to contain spills and prevent environmental contamination
Bunding is secondary containment — a structure built around storage tanks or areas where spillage could occur. Bunds should hold at least 110% of the largest container's volume (or 25% of total volume if multiple containers). They prevent spillages from reaching drains, watercourses or soil.
Question 4: What are an organisation's 'environmental aspects' and 'environmental impacts'?
- They are the same thing
- Aspects are elements of activities that can interact with the environment; impacts are the resulting changes to the environment (Correct answer)
- Aspects are internal; impacts are external
- Aspects are voluntary; impacts are mandatory
Correct answer: Aspects are elements of activities that can interact with the environment; impacts are the resulting changes to the environment
An environmental aspect is an element of an organisation's activities, products or services that can interact with the environment (e.g., fuel combustion, waste generation, chemical use). An environmental impact is the resulting change to the environment (e.g., air pollution, land contamination, resource depletion).
Question 5: What is the role of the Environment Agency in the UK?
- To manage workplace health and safety
- To protect and improve the environment by regulating industry, managing waste, preventing pollution, and managing water resources (Correct answer)
- To set planning permissions for new developments
- To manage National Parks and countryside access
Correct answer: To protect and improve the environment by regulating industry, managing waste, preventing pollution, and managing water resources
The Environment Agency (in England) is the principal environmental regulator. It regulates industrial emissions, manages waste regulation, prevents pollution, manages flood risk, protects water quality, and enforces environmental legislation. Scotland has SEPA; Wales has NRW; Northern Ireland has NIEA.
Question 6: What is 'sustainable development'?
- Development that is economically profitable
- Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Correct answer)
- Development that uses the latest technology
- Development that is completed as quickly as possible
Correct answer: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland Commission (1987), means meeting today's needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs. It balances economic growth, environmental protection and social equity — the three pillars of sustainability.
IOSH Protecting Our Environment 2
What is a 'waste transfer note'?