CIVE 321 Final Exam

National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Primary: health-based to protect the weakest among us. Secondary: to reduce environmental and property damage.

Hazardous Air Pollutants.

Particulate smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter that is able to enter the lung and cause respiratory disease.

Condition where all air pollution is held below a specific height level. Associated with restricted air volumes that cause air pollution episodes. (dT/dz > 0, stable atmosphere)

dT/dz = -1.00 degrees C/100m

dT/dz < -1.00 degrees C/100m; conditions that encourages continuous vertical motion of air

dT/dz > -1.00 degrees C/100m; condition that discourages vertical motion of air

dT/dz; change of air temperature with height

time averaged pollutant concentration downwind from a source

1. single point source.
2. constant atmospheric stability through plume
3. wind speed is constant in both time and direction
4. constant rate of emissions from source
5. no deposition of pollutant on the ground
6. pollutant is conservative
7. terrain is relatively flat and open

Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), fluorinated gases (CFCs, SF6)

Higher concentrations of greenhouse gases trap more infrared energy in the atmosphere than occurs naturally, further warming the atmosphere and Earth's surface

Decreased agricultural yields, increased air conditioning costs, less frequent but more intense rainfall, more extended droughts and severe weather

A life cycle assessment is an analysis of the environmental effect of materials taken out of the envrionment (inputs) and wastes released (outputs) for a product over its life.

Raw Materials Acquisition -> Manufacturing -> Use/Reuse/Maintenance -> Recycle/Waste Management

These attributes are very narrowly focused and often neglect the actual environmental impacts that occur in all stages of a product's life cycle.

The public tends to underestimate the true risk of familiar voluntary risks such as driving or drinking alcohol.

1. media coverage
2. common vs. uncommon
3. occupational vs. recreational
4. immediate vs. delayed

Severe illness with rapid onset due to recent high-dose exposure. Ex: pathogens, high nitrates causing blue baby syndrome

Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring due to long-term exposure. Ex: PFAs, arsenic

No observable adverse effect level (threshold below which there is no response or unhealthy effect)

Compounds that can cause cancer; EPA considers acceptable risk to be within the range of 10^-4 and 10^-6. Use Cancer Potency Slope (CPS). Risk = Chronic Daily Intake X Cancer Slope Factor.

An acceptable daily intake (reference intake dose RfD) can be estimated. Risk measured using Hazard Index = intake/RfD

The accumulation of a water-borne chemical in aquatic life. Causes a challenge in assessing pathways and managing risk, both ecological and human health related.

Policy initiative launched by the government of China to more strictly monitor recyclable waste imports. China now requires 99.9% purity for recycling streams shipeed by North American and Europe. As a result, recycling streams are now sent to other countries, such as Vietnam and Malaysia, reducing the economic benefit of recycling, and low quality recyclables are often sent to the landfill.

Materials Recovery Facility - processing center to recover recyclables

Bottom liner, leachate collection system (gravel layer with PVC pipe and pump), waste layers (compacted lifts from garbage trucks, daily cover), final cover, gas management system (removal of methane gas from microbial degradation), runoff management system, groundwater monitoring system

Any substance that may cause or contribute to an increase in mortality or serious illness. Defined under US law by characteristic or listed under RCRA.

1. Reactivity (normally unstable, forms toxic material when mixed with water, or capable of explosion)
2. Ignitability (Liquids with a flash point of less than 60C, capable of causing fire through friction)
3. Corrosivity (corrodes steel at a rate greater than 0.25 in/yr)
4. Toxicity (defined by the EPA's Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, lists maximum concentration of contaminants)

Source-specific wastes (from specific industries), generic wastes (from common manufacturing processes), commerical chemical products

Listed as specifically excluded from being considered hazardous wastes by the EPA

If you mix a listed or characteristic hazardous waste with a non-hazardous waste, the mixture is a hazardous waste.

A universal waste is a widely generated waste whose collection and management is federally regulated by the EPA. Key examples: batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, and bulbs