Environmental Sustainability & Compliance Flashcards
7 cards from real CMI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Environmental Sustainability & Compliance flashcards as text
Which EPA program regulates the disposal of used cleaning solvents classified as hazardous waste?
Answer: RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act)
RCRA governs the generation, storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste, including used cleaning solvents.
What does the term 'carbon footprint' specifically measure in a cleaning operation?
Answer: Total greenhouse gas emissions expressed in CO2 equivalents
Carbon footprint measures all greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) converted to CO2 equivalents.
A cleaning company wants to reduce VOC emissions from floor finish products. Which approach is most effective?
Answer: Switch to waterborne, low-VOC or zero-VOC formulations
Waterborne low-VOC formulations contain fewer volatile organic compounds that off-gas into indoor and outdoor air.
Under the Clean Air Act, which indoor cleaning product category is most likely to trigger VOC content limits?
Answer: Aerosol disinfectant sprays
Aerosol spray products release propellants and chemical solvents that contribute to VOC emissions regulated under the Clean Air Act.
What is 'greenwashing' in the context of cleaning product marketing?
Answer: Making misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claims about a product
Greenwashing refers to deceptive marketing that exaggerates or fabricates environmental benefits of a product.
Which of the following best describes a 'closed-loop' water recycling system in a commercial cleaning operation?
Answer: A system where wastewater is treated and reused on-site rather than discharged
A closed-loop system captures, treats, and recirculates wastewater, reducing total water consumption and discharge.
When a cleaning chemical SDS lists an ingredient as a 'persistent bioaccumulative toxin (PBT),' what does this mean for sustainability?
Answer: The chemical accumulates in living organisms and persists in the environment long-term
PBTs resist environmental degradation and build up in the food chain, posing long-term ecological risks.