AECN 357 Unit 4 Questions Perfectly Answered!!

T/F. Dick Tracey owns land that is part of a superfund site. Contamination from Tracey's property constitutes 20% of the total site cleanup. Tracey is only liable for his 20% of the total cleanup costs. - Answer-false, joint & several liability T/F. Sludge Inc. has improperly disposed of hazardous wastes on its land in violation of state and federal hazmat waste disposal regulations but those violations have not been detected. sludge goes out of business in 1990 and sells the land to clean water inc. In 1991 state investigators discover polluted ground water and trace the pollution source to sludge inc.'s improper waste disposal practices. Sludge has declared bankruptcy. Clean Water Inc. cannot be held entirely responsible for the total cleanup costs under the federal superfund law because clean water did not contribute to the ground water pollution - Answer-False, can be liable for 100% a phase 1 environmental audit will include - Answer-a review of environmental records pertaining to the property and a visual inspection of the property (record review/visual inspection) a phase 2 environmental audit will include - Answer-testing soil samples for contamination and testing water samples for contamination (sampling) T/F. The unpaid amount for a CERCLA cleanup site is called the orphan share. - Answer-true T/F. One purpose of the community right to know program is to enable local emergency responders to have an emergency response plan prepared in advance so that they can respond most appropriately to a release or spill of a hazardous material - Answer-True T/F. Purchasers of commercial or industrial real estate should have an environmental audit prepared before purchasing the property in order to qualify for the innocent landowner defense in case the property turns out to be contaminated true - Answer-True T/F. Superfund remediated sites are often called brownfields - Answer-TrueT/F. One RP/PRP being made responsible for the cleanup of an entire site even though the RP/PRP only contributed 10% of the total contamination is called joint and several liability - Answer-True T/F. One rp/prp being liable for cleanup of a site contaminated from hazmat disposal that occurred prior to the enactment CERCLA but which was legal at the time of the disposal is called retroactive liability - Answer-True T/F. A rp/prp who has paid more than its proportionate share of site cleanup can sue to collect their share from the remaining rp/prps nder the right of contribution - Answer-True T/F. With curbside recycling, consumers can leave their recyclables at the curb for pickup - Answer-True T/F. With municipal composting, yard wastes are collected and composted instead of being dumped in the landfill - Answer-True T/F. One example of a consumer recycling incentive is to vary monthly garbage collection fees based on the size of the garbage container, with smaller fees for smaller containers - Answer-True T/F. With takeback requirements, retailers are required to take back specified computer products (like equipment, televisions and cell phones) for recycling - Answer-True T/F. It is illegal for consumers to put HHW into their garbage for ultimate disposal at the local landfill - Answer-False T/F. One common way for communities to deal with hhw is to establish local hhw collection days where consumers can bring their hhw at the drop off site and the hhw is ultimately disposed of at a TSD facility - Answer-True, 3-4 days per year CFL - Answer-compact fluorescent lights PRP - Answer-Potentially Responsible Party- have not yet admitted cleanup liability, but EPA believes they are liable; hazmat generators and sometimes transporters, as well as the people who actually disposed of the hazmatRP - Answer-responsible party- have admitted cleanup liability UST - Answer-underground storage tanks- one of 3 main RCRA programs, usually storing petroleum products; owner must register with DEQ RCRA - Answer-resource conservation and recovery act. hazmat program, UST program, landfill program CERCLA - Answer-Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act - superfund TSD Facilities - Answer-treatment, storage, disposal facility - where hazmat is legally disposed of HHW - Answer-Household Hazardous Waste - exempt from RCRA hazardous waste requirements. can be disposed of in landfills List the two reasons a potential land buyer would have an environmental audit prepared on the land to be purchased. - Answer-see if property is contaminated before buying, qualify for innocent buyers defense List three of the hazardous waste management activities that may be performed at TSD facilities. - Answer-treatment - rendering hazmat nonhazardous, chemfuel - using hazmat for fuel, land treatment - burying hazmat, tank treatment - storing in tanks (1) Briefly discuss the liability issue regarding brownfields. (2) List two ways municipalities have dealt with the brownfield redevelopment issue. - Answer-1. once a site is cleaned up, there is no guarantee that it is cleaned up forever. The new owner will then be responsible for the site remediation. 2. cities can act as guarantors in case of future cleanup liability or turn the property into a part or other open air space. ex. omaha riverfront development Briefly describe the widespread hazardous waste disposal method used prior to RCRA. - Answer-waste disposal sites = landfills; pose serious health problemsList three examples of automotive HHW. - Answer-brake fluid, battery acid, kerosene, paint, batteries, used oil List three examples of lawn and garden HHW. - Answer-herbicides/pesticides, fungicides, rodenticides, fertilizers List five examples of household HHW. - Answer-drain cleaner, silver polish, mothballs, some cosmetics, paint thinners, glass cleaner, rug deodorizer List five examples of home improvement HHW. - Answer-driveway sealer, cleaning solvents, floor polish, deck stain, shower/tub cleaner, paint T/F. Under FIFRA pesticides are presumed to be safe - Answer-False, presumed to be unsafe T/F. Under FIFRA the burden is on EPA to prove that a new pesticide is safe. - Answer-False, up to the manufacturer T/F. For at least two decades the EU followed a PMN policy - Answer-true T/F. Beginning in 2007, the EU's toxics policy is PMT - Answer-false T/F. Prior to the 2016 TSCA amendments, new chemicals were required to be tested for safety before they can be sold in the US - Answer-False T/F. California's Proposition 65 is not preempted by the 2016 TSCA amendments - Answer-true T/F. Under 2016 TSCA, EPA can require PMT for new chemicals - Answer-true T/F. Under 2016 TSCA, EPA can require testing data from chemical companies for existing chemicals. - Answer-trueT/F. Under 2016 TSCA, EPA will reduce animal testing of chemicals - Answer-true Prior to 2007, the EU followed PMN regarding regulation of toxic chemicals. Beginning in 2007, the EU will implement a policy of _____________. - Answer-PMT FIFRA - Answer-Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act TSCA - Answer-Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 PMT - Answer-pre manufacturing testing PMN - Answer-pre manufacturing notification Proposition 65 - Answer-requires manufacturers whose products list toxic chemicals to label their products as containing toxic chemicals circle of poison - Answer-pesticides banned in the US may continue to be manufactured in the US and exported to growers in foreign countries to then be imported back into the US on fruits and vegetables product reformulation - Answer-US manufacturers are removing PMT chemicals from their products to avoid labels and new testing requirements What is meant when chemical industry workers are described as "canaries in the coal mine"? - Answercanaries were used to detect carbon monoxide in coal mines, early warning sign for toxic gasses. Chemical industry workers are exposed to new untested chemicals before other people and may face some dangers because of it. They may be the first people exposed and thus the first to suffer if there are any adverse affects from chemical exposure. Briefly describe the Proposition 65 duty to warn/product labeling requirement. - Answer-requires manufacturing to label their products as containing toxic chemicalsBriefly describe what product manufacturers have done in California to avoid the Proposition 65 product labeling requirement. - Answer-most consumer products have been reformulated in Cali so they do not require a prop 65 warning label Briefly describe what some US product manufacturers are doing to avoid the new EU PMT requirements. - Answer-reformulate products to remove the chemicals that would trigger the EU pre-manufacturing testing requirements. T/F. Under the SDWA, public water suppliers can prevent agricultural, industrial, or other activities that threaten community drinking water supplies. - Answer-false action levels - Answer-set by DEA. Hitting action levels in GW triggers pesticide regulations demonstration field - Answer-the farmers largest row crop field. Field where farmer conducts soil testing and limits fertilizer application to the calculated crop needs. Gives the farmer a chance to try new fertilizer manages techniques on just one field so the farmer doesn't have to change his fertilizer management program all at once for the whole farm. MCL - Answer-Maximum Contaminant Level- EPA establishes maximum contaminate levels for public water suppliers (PWSs). A PWS is a water supplier that serves more than 25 people or 15 service connections. PWSs must monitor/test tap water for MCLs; larger communities must monitor drinking water more frequently than smaller communities. POE treatment - Answer-point of entry. treat all water coming into the house. POU treatment - Answer-point of use. treat water in kitchen only. cheapest option. SDWA - Answer-Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 - The SDWA regulates the quality of water that comes out of the tap. The SDWA does not however regulate the sources of drinking water contamination (major policy omission)The lethal dose for slightly toxic pesticides is ___________________. - Answer-2 tbs / 1 pint In Nebraska, farmers must be certified to apply ____________ pesticides on their own property. - Answer-restricted use The lethal dose for highly toxic pesticides is _____________________. - Answer-taste to a teaspoon The lethal dose for moderately toxic pesticides is ___________________. - Answer-one teaspoon to two tablespoons The most widespread drinking water contaminant in Nebraska is ____________. - Answer-atrazine Briefly describe the purpose of the CPNRD's GMA reporting requirements. - Answer-To see if the producer is using more fertilizer than necessary to meet crop needs. Hopefully if the farmer realizes he's using too much he will reduce use to save money and also reduce nitrate contamination of ground water. List four of the likely SMP program provisions likely to be invoked at a level B action level, including the most severe program provision. - Answer-Advisory committee reviews local NRD GMP, voluntary pesticide use BMPs, additional regulations (user training, mandatory pesticide use BMP, use restrictions), moratorium (ban) Briefly describe how the Superior GMA's program is prevention oriented, not reaction oriented. - Answer-4 years of phase 1 where farmers test on demonstration field. Then phase 2 where they apply the method to all fields. Farmers are using advanced fertilizer management techniques, preventing nitrate contamination of ground water, and preventing a nitrate contamination problem from occurring within most of the GMA (the GMA does have a few high-nitrate areas already). This is an outstanding example of prevention approach vs. a reaction approach. (More likely to prevent nitrate gw contamination because there are no triggers) T/F. Free trade and environmental protection have equal weight legally under GATT and NAFTA - AnswerFalse T/F. A significant degree of international agreement has been achieved regarding ozone depletion - Answer-TrueT/F. US labor groups don't like free trade because it can lead to a loss of US blue collar jobs - Answer-true T/F. US labor groups don't like free trade because LDCs may have lower labor costs because LDC workers receive low pay, have no health benefits, have no pension, and have little workplace safety protection - Answer-true T/F. The next generation of international trade agreements may establish fair labor practices: better worker benefits, better workplace safety, and better child labor restrictions - Answer-True T/F. Free trade can help DC's by allowing them to import inexpensive LDC exports - Answer-true T/F. Free trade can help LDCs by creating industrial jobs producing goods that LDCs export to DCs - Answer-True T/F. Free trade can hurt DC blue collar workers whose unskilled jobs are in effect exported to LDCs - Answer-true T/F. Free trade can lead to more industrial pollution in LDCs as they increase exports to DCs - AnswerTrue T/F. Free trade can help reduce poverty in LDCs - Answer-true T/F. Free trade can strengthen economic relationships between DCs and LDCs - Answer-True T/F. The next generation of international trade agreements may establish minimum environmental protection standards (such as ISO 14000), the violation of which can lead to trade sanctions, such as tariffs or embargoes - Answer-true T/F. The next generation of international trade agreements may establish minimum fair labor standards, the violation of which can lead to trade sanctions, such as tariffs or embargoes - Answer-trueT/F. Environmental groups don't like free trade because goods imported from LDCs may cause more pollution than if the goods had been produced in the US - Answer-true DC - Answer-Developed country (US) LDC - Answer-less developed countries (mexico, africa) ISO 14000 - Answer-International Organization for Standardization series 14000 corporate environmental management practices are a series of voluntary environmental management practices for international trade businesses. It has emerged as a widely accepted international standard for environmental business pollution control practices: air emissions, water emissions, hazmat disposal etc. It is a voluntary program but is likely to become the de facto international standard for multi-national corporations. In the long run it will establish the min accepted international standards for pollution control and will likely be adopted by LDCs or perhaps in future trade treaties. take-back requirements - Answer-Recycling requirements: grocer, etc. must take back empty bottles, cans, etc. for recycling. eco-labeling - Answer-standards to designate products as environmentally safe/friendly eco-taxes - Answer-tax the use of environmentally unfriendly materials and use those taxes to fund recycling programs tariffs - Answer-tax/duty to be paid on a particular class of imports/exports embargoes - Answer-official ban on trade or other commercial activity w/ a particular country Briefly discuss one reason why some degree of international agreement has been achieved regarding ozone depletion. - Answer-A technological fix to ozone depletion has been found. i.e. environmentally friendlier HCFC substitutes for ozone depleting CFCsBriefly describe why environmental groups are unhappy with GATT and NAFTA. - Answer-They prevent the US from restricting imports that are a result of dirty production practices. Neither GATT nor NAFTA have environmental provisions. Briefly describe how GATT and NAFTA may be made more environmentally friendly in the future. - Answer-They may include minimum environmental standards like ISO 14000. Countries violating env. requirements would be subject to trade sanctions (ex. tariffs/embargoes) on goods whose production violated the trade agreement. Briefly describe how ISO 140000 may be used to make GATT and NAFTA more environmentally friendly in the future. - Answer-currently voluntary but likely to become de facto international standard for multinational corporations. Will establish min. accepted international standards for pollution control, will be accepted by LDCs or in future trade treaties and LDCs can make them legally enforceable in their countries. Briefly describe how free trade helps LDCs. - Answer-creates jobs, gives LDCs access to new markets and higher investment capital, decreases child labor, gives LDC chance to become a DC and be able to purchase goods from US. All of this leads to overall increased life expectancy. What is the primary advantage of free trade for DCs? - Answer-cheap imports What is the primary disadvantage of free trade for DCs? - Answer-increased job outsourcing, laid off blue collar workers T/F. For many years the US has led the world in GHG emissions. - Answer-true