Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping Flashcards

What is the purpose of a stabilized construction entrance/exit (also called a rock pad or wheel wash) under pollution prevention requirements?

Answer: To reduce the tracking of mud and sediment onto public roads by construction vehicles

Stabilized construction entrances are designed to dislodge mud and debris from vehicle tires so it does not get tracked onto public roadways, where it can be washed into storm drains.

During a site inspection, you observe vehicle maintenance being performed on bare soil near a drainage channel. Which pollution prevention concern is MOST significant?

Answer: Potential petroleum product spills contaminating stormwater runoff

Vehicle maintenance on bare soil near drainage channels creates a direct pathway for petroleum products (oil, hydraulic fluid, fuel) to enter stormwater conveyances and downstream water bodies.

Under NPDES construction stormwater permits, non-stormwater discharges from a construction site are generally:

Answer: Prohibited unless specifically authorized in the permit or excluded by regulation

Non-stormwater discharges are prohibited under NPDES construction permits unless they are specifically listed as authorized exceptions (such as uncontaminated groundwater dewatering) or are separately permitted.

Which of the following construction activities requires a designated washout area to prevent discharge of process water to storm drains?

Answer: Concrete placement and finishing operations

Concrete placement and finishing generates washout water with high pH and suspended solids, requiring a dedicated washout area to capture this process water and prevent it from reaching storm drains.

A construction site SWPPP requires an inventory of materials that could contribute pollutants to stormwater. Which document is MOST commonly used to identify the hazardous properties of construction chemicals on this inventory?

Answer: Safety Data Sheet (SDS), formerly known as MSDS

Safety Data Sheets (SDS), formerly Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), are the standard reference for identifying the environmental hazard properties, spill response procedures, and storage requirements for construction chemicals.

Street sweeping of public roads adjacent to a construction site is primarily performed to address which stormwater pollution concern?

Answer: Remove tracked sediment and debris before it is washed into storm drains by rain

Street sweeping removes sediment tracked from construction sites onto public roads before rainfall events can mobilize that material into storm drains and downstream waterways.

Under good housekeeping practices, construction site dumpsters used for general solid waste should be:

Answer: Covered or lidded to prevent stormwater from contacting and mobilizing waste materials

Dumpsters should be covered to prevent rain from contacting waste, which can generate contaminated leachate that runs off as polluted stormwater.