DEQ Hazardous Materials and Chemical Regulations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under RCRA, what characteristic makes a material a 'hazardous waste' due to its ability to ignite at relatively low temperatures?
- Corrosivity
- Reactivity
- Ignitability (Correct answer)
- Toxicity
Correct answer: Ignitability
Ignitability is one of four RCRA hazardous waste characteristics, defined by a flash point below 140°F (60°C) for liquids, among other criteria.
Question 2: What is the threshold planning quantity (TPQ) concept under EPCRA Section 302?
- The maximum amount of a chemical a facility may store without a permit
- The amount of an extremely hazardous substance above which a facility must notify state and local emergency planners (Correct answer)
- The reporting threshold for annual toxic chemical releases to the TRI
- The quantity of hazardous waste that triggers large quantity generator status
Correct answer: The amount of an extremely hazardous substance above which a facility must notify state and local emergency planners
Under EPCRA Section 302, facilities storing extremely hazardous substances above their TPQ must notify State Emergency Response Commissions and Local Emergency Planning Committees.
Question 3: What DEQ-regulated document must facilities submit annually to report hazardous chemical inventories above certain thresholds?
- Tier I or Tier II chemical inventory report (Correct answer)
- NPDES discharge monitoring report
- Air emission inventory certification
- Solid waste annual report
Correct answer: Tier I or Tier II chemical inventory report
EPCRA Sections 311–312 require facilities to submit Tier I or Tier II reports annually to state and local emergency planning entities if they store hazardous chemicals above reporting thresholds.
Question 4: Which designation identifies the most strictly regulated hazardous wastes under RCRA because of their demonstrated harm to human health or the environment?
- Universal wastes
- Listed wastes (F, K, P, U lists) (Correct answer)
- Characteristic wastes
- Exempt wastes
Correct answer: Listed wastes (F, K, P, U lists)
Listed wastes—designated by the F, K, P, and U lists—are specific hazardous wastes that EPA has determined pose substantial risk, subjecting them to the most stringent RCRA controls.
Question 5: What is the 'cradle-to-grave' principle in hazardous waste management?
- Hazardous waste generators bear no liability once waste is transported off-site
- Generators, transporters, and disposers all share legal responsibility for hazardous waste from generation to final disposal (Correct answer)
- Only the final disposal facility is liable for hazardous waste contamination
- Hazardous waste liability ends when a facility closes
Correct answer: Generators, transporters, and disposers all share legal responsibility for hazardous waste from generation to final disposal
The cradle-to-grave principle holds that generators, transporters, and treatment/storage/disposal facilities all retain legal responsibility for hazardous waste throughout its entire lifecycle.
Question 6: What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and what role does it play in DEQ chemical regulations?
- A permit required to store chemicals above specific quantities
- A document providing hazard, handling, and emergency response information for a chemical substance (Correct answer)
- A report filed with the DEQ after a chemical spill
- A certificate issued by the DEQ confirming safe chemical storage
Correct answer: A document providing hazard, handling, and emergency response information for a chemical substance
An SDS (formerly MSDS) provides comprehensive information about a chemical's hazards, safe handling procedures, and emergency response measures, required under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard and referenced in many DEQ programs.
DEQ Hazardous Materials and Chemical Regulations 1
Under RCRA, what characteristic makes a material a 'hazardous waste' due to its ability to ignite at relatively low temperatures?