AARC Hazardous Fluid & Material Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under EPA regulations, used antifreeze at an auto recycler is classified as which type of waste when sent for reclamation?
- Hazardous waste
- Solid waste
- Recyclable material exempt from hazardous waste rules (Correct answer)
- Universal waste
Correct answer: Recyclable material exempt from hazardous waste rules
Used antifreeze sent for reclamation is excluded from hazardous waste classification under RCRA as a recyclable material.
Question 2: Which federal standard governs employee right-to-know regarding hazardous chemicals in the workplace, including automotive fluids?
- CERCLA
- OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom/GHS) (Correct answer)
- RCRA Subtitle C
- Clean Air Act Section 112
Correct answer: OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom/GHS)
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires Safety Data Sheets and labeling so employees know the hazards of chemicals they work with.
Question 3: What is the maximum container size allowed for storing used oil at a generator site before it must be sent off-site under EPA used oil management standards?
- 55 gallons per container with no overall volume limit (Correct answer)
- 500 gallons total on site
- 250 gallons total on site
- 1,000 gallons total on site
Correct answer: 55 gallons per container with no overall volume limit
EPA used oil regulations allow storage in 55-gallon drums or larger tanks with no specified total volume ceiling for generators who recycle their used oil.
Question 4: When draining mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles, which body of water regulation is most directly implicated if mercury is improperly disposed?
- Safe Drinking Water Act
- Clean Water Act Section 402 (NPDES) (Correct answer)
- Oil Pollution Act
- Rivers and Harbors Act
Correct answer: Clean Water Act Section 402 (NPDES)
Discharging mercury into storm drains or surface water violates Clean Water Act Section 402, which regulates pollutant discharges via NPDES permits.
Question 5: A technician discovers a vehicle with a ruptured airbag module containing sodium azide. The correct initial action is to:
- Dispose of it in the general scrap metal bin
- Treat it as a hazardous waste and contact the airbag manufacturer's take-back program (Correct answer)
- Puncture it to release any remaining pressure safely
- Bury it on-site to neutralize the sodium azide
Correct answer: Treat it as a hazardous waste and contact the airbag manufacturer's take-back program
Sodium azide is a hazardous substance; spent airbag inflators with unreacted propellant should be managed through manufacturer take-back or a certified hazardous waste handler.
Question 6: Which document must accompany a hazardous waste shipment from an auto recycler to a licensed treatment facility?
- Bill of lading only
- Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest (Correct answer)
- Safety Data Sheet only
- EPA Form 8700-12
Correct answer: Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest
Federal law requires a Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest to track hazardous waste from cradle to grave, accompanying every off-site shipment.
Question 7: Used brake fluid removed from vehicles at an auto recycler is best managed by:
- Mixing it with used oil for co-disposal
- Collecting it separately and sending it to a licensed used fluid recycler or hazardous waste facility (Correct answer)
- Flushing it down a utility sink connected to the municipal sewer
- Allowing it to evaporate in open containers
Correct answer: Collecting it separately and sending it to a licensed used fluid recycler or hazardous waste facility
Brake fluid contains glycol ethers and must be collected separately; mixing with used oil contaminates the oil stream and may create a hazardous waste.
AARC Hazardous Fluid & Material Management 2
Under EPA regulations, used antifreeze at an auto recycler is classified as which type of waste when sent for reclamation?