NEHA Exam Questions and Answers
100% Correct A+ Pass
Organic Gases & Vapors(hydrocarbons) - Answer ✔✔- Paraffins, olefins, aromatics,
and the oxygenated hydrocarbons that include aldehyde, ketones, alcohols, and acids.
Primary source of hydrocarbons is use of gasoline as fuel for motor vehicles. Significant
factor in air pollution because of ability to react with other atmospheric gases and
produce effects associated with photochemical smog.
Solid waste and landfill design and methods - Answer ✔✔- At the end of the day waste
is covered by 6 inches of soil or daily cover, which is also compacted. A 2 foot layer of
soil is typically used as a final cover. General ratio rise over run, one rise two runs
Landfill Gases - Answer ✔✔- Decomposition produces several gases including methane
(CH4), Carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). In the first 4 to 60 days, the
landfill is in and aerobic state. After approximately 60 days, it is anaerobic, CH4, CO2,
H2S are produced as anaerobic byproducts.
Hazard Waste Reduction Process - Answer ✔✔- Deep well injection- Pumps liquid
wastes through lined wells into porous rock formations deep underground.
Hazard Waste Reduction Process - Answer ✔✔- Controlled Incineration- Burns
hazardous waste at very high temps (750 F-3,000 F) that destroys hazardous waste.
3 Common Landfill Methods - Answer ✔✔- 1. Trench Method- Commonly uses in level
terrain, solid waster is filled into trenches and soil is placed on top of buried material
then compacted.
2. Area Method- Used on a side of a hill or slope. Refuse is placed in the slope and then
covered with soil. Continues until entire slope is level.
3. Valley or Ravine Method- Most common used in the past by large cities. Refuse is
placed in a natural depression and covered with soil and compacted.
Source Reduction - Answer ✔✔- Strategy to minimize the generation of waste at the
source, either by manufacturing, design, or by reusing materials.
RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act): Three Interrelated programs -
Answer ✔✔- Subtitle D- Solid waste program
Subtitle C- Hazardous waste program
Subtitle I- Underground storage/tank program
, CERCLA - Answer ✔✔- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act
Rapid Infiltration/ percolation - Answer ✔✔- Occurs when a large amount of wastewater
are applied to land and allowed to percolate to the groundwater table.
2 Hazardous Waste Problems - Answer ✔✔- 1. How to manage more than 300 million
metric tons. Industrial waste, not including those managed illegally.
2. What to do with waste improperly disposed of years ago.
1974 Safe Water Drinking Act (SWDA) - Answer ✔✔- Passed to address concerns
about contaminated drinking water, and uneven state supervision of suppliers of
drinking water.
Oxygen Deficiency - Answer ✔✔- The oxygen concentration is lower than the level
considered safe for human exposure.
If oxygen concentrations are less than 16 % by volume, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and
headache may occur.
H20 Treatment- Filtration - Answer ✔✔- Process most of the H20 treatment facilities
rely upon for removal of suspended matter as it passes through porous materials.
Degree of removal depends on composition and size of filter media, thickness or porous
media, size and quantity of suspended solids.
Overland flow - Answer ✔✔- method where wastewater is allowed to flow down a
graded surface that is planted with vegetation to control runoff and erosion.
Municipal Wastewater: (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary) - Answer ✔✔- 1. Primary
Treatment-Physical process that removes large floating objects, grit, sand, cinders,
small stones, and settable solids from sewage.
2. Secondary Treatment- biological process that removes an additional 45-55 % of
BOD5 from sewage.
3. Tertiary- Third stage of municipal waste H20 treatment process. Usually a chemical
process that accomplishes a very high degree of BOD5, nutrient, and salt reduction.
Absorption Field or Disposal Field - Answer ✔✔- Consist of a series of trenches
approximately 12-18 inches in depth and 12-36 inches wide. It is important that the
bottom of the trenches be at least 24 inches above seasonal high groundwater level.
100% Correct A+ Pass
Organic Gases & Vapors(hydrocarbons) - Answer ✔✔- Paraffins, olefins, aromatics,
and the oxygenated hydrocarbons that include aldehyde, ketones, alcohols, and acids.
Primary source of hydrocarbons is use of gasoline as fuel for motor vehicles. Significant
factor in air pollution because of ability to react with other atmospheric gases and
produce effects associated with photochemical smog.
Solid waste and landfill design and methods - Answer ✔✔- At the end of the day waste
is covered by 6 inches of soil or daily cover, which is also compacted. A 2 foot layer of
soil is typically used as a final cover. General ratio rise over run, one rise two runs
Landfill Gases - Answer ✔✔- Decomposition produces several gases including methane
(CH4), Carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). In the first 4 to 60 days, the
landfill is in and aerobic state. After approximately 60 days, it is anaerobic, CH4, CO2,
H2S are produced as anaerobic byproducts.
Hazard Waste Reduction Process - Answer ✔✔- Deep well injection- Pumps liquid
wastes through lined wells into porous rock formations deep underground.
Hazard Waste Reduction Process - Answer ✔✔- Controlled Incineration- Burns
hazardous waste at very high temps (750 F-3,000 F) that destroys hazardous waste.
3 Common Landfill Methods - Answer ✔✔- 1. Trench Method- Commonly uses in level
terrain, solid waster is filled into trenches and soil is placed on top of buried material
then compacted.
2. Area Method- Used on a side of a hill or slope. Refuse is placed in the slope and then
covered with soil. Continues until entire slope is level.
3. Valley or Ravine Method- Most common used in the past by large cities. Refuse is
placed in a natural depression and covered with soil and compacted.
Source Reduction - Answer ✔✔- Strategy to minimize the generation of waste at the
source, either by manufacturing, design, or by reusing materials.
RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act): Three Interrelated programs -
Answer ✔✔- Subtitle D- Solid waste program
Subtitle C- Hazardous waste program
Subtitle I- Underground storage/tank program
, CERCLA - Answer ✔✔- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act
Rapid Infiltration/ percolation - Answer ✔✔- Occurs when a large amount of wastewater
are applied to land and allowed to percolate to the groundwater table.
2 Hazardous Waste Problems - Answer ✔✔- 1. How to manage more than 300 million
metric tons. Industrial waste, not including those managed illegally.
2. What to do with waste improperly disposed of years ago.
1974 Safe Water Drinking Act (SWDA) - Answer ✔✔- Passed to address concerns
about contaminated drinking water, and uneven state supervision of suppliers of
drinking water.
Oxygen Deficiency - Answer ✔✔- The oxygen concentration is lower than the level
considered safe for human exposure.
If oxygen concentrations are less than 16 % by volume, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and
headache may occur.
H20 Treatment- Filtration - Answer ✔✔- Process most of the H20 treatment facilities
rely upon for removal of suspended matter as it passes through porous materials.
Degree of removal depends on composition and size of filter media, thickness or porous
media, size and quantity of suspended solids.
Overland flow - Answer ✔✔- method where wastewater is allowed to flow down a
graded surface that is planted with vegetation to control runoff and erosion.
Municipal Wastewater: (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary) - Answer ✔✔- 1. Primary
Treatment-Physical process that removes large floating objects, grit, sand, cinders,
small stones, and settable solids from sewage.
2. Secondary Treatment- biological process that removes an additional 45-55 % of
BOD5 from sewage.
3. Tertiary- Third stage of municipal waste H20 treatment process. Usually a chemical
process that accomplishes a very high degree of BOD5, nutrient, and salt reduction.
Absorption Field or Disposal Field - Answer ✔✔- Consist of a series of trenches
approximately 12-18 inches in depth and 12-36 inches wide. It is important that the
bottom of the trenches be at least 24 inches above seasonal high groundwater level.
