Environmental Flashcards
You are on site and you need to dispose of some
waste liquid that has oil in it and you are not sure
what to do with it. What should you do?
A: Dispose of it in a sealed container into the site
skip
B: Pour it onto the ground, it will soak away
C:Take it outside and set light to it
D: Ask your supervisor about the correct way to
deal with this waste.
Right Answer: D
Dealing with hazardous/special waste will include
proper storage and segregation before it is taken
away by an authorised waste carrier as required by
environmental legislation. An oil spillage could also
get into the ground or drains, which may also be an
offence under environmental law. Burning waste on
site is also an offence, under air pollution legislation,
and can lead to local complaints.
How should you get rid of hazardous/special waste?
A: Put it at the bottom of any site skip
B: In accordance with the correct site waste
rules
C: Take it home, they won’t want it on site
D: Take it to the nearest local authority waste
tip
Right Answer: B
The Hazardous Waste Regulations (Special Waste
Regulations in Scotland) require hazardous/special
waste to be properly segregated or otherwise
treated, and then recovered or disposed of in an
officially approved way.
Which of the following is classed as
hazardous/special waste?
A: Non-asbestos Insulation
B: Polythene and shrink wrap
C: Empty cement bags
D: Fluorescent light tubes
Right Answer: D
Hazardous wastes (special wastes in Scotland) are
specified in waste legislation. Fluorescent tubes are
included because of their mercury content.
Which of the following should be disposed of as
hazardous/special waste?
A: Timber, plywood and MDF off-cuts
B: Glass fibre insulation
C: Aerosol sealant canisters
D: Used nuisance dust masks
Right Answer: C
Hazardous wastes (special wastes in Scotland) are
specified in waste legislation. Aerosol sealants are
included because they can explode if not recovered
or disposed of properly, and they may still contain
hazardous solvents.
You need to clean up some oil that has leaked from
machinery onto the ground. What is the right way to do this?
A: Put the oily contaminated soil into the
general waste skip
B Put the oily contaminated soil into a suitable
container that takes hazardous waste
C: Put it under some off-cuts so that the oil
cannot be seen
D: Wash the oil away with water and detergent
Right Answer: B
Oil-contaminated wastes are classified as
hazardous/special waste in waste legislation. The
Hazardous Waste Regulations (Special Waste
Regulations in Scotland) require such waste to be
properly segregated or otherwise treated, and then
recovered or disposed of in an approved way.
Following the other options would be an offence
under waste legislation.
Other site workers are complaining that you are
generating too much dust. What should you do?
A: Tell them you have nearly finished
B Stop work and inform your supervisor
C: Ignore them — it’s none of their business
D: Issue the other site workers with dust masks
Right Answer: B
Excessive dust may be a health hazard to you and
those around you, but even if it is not a health
hazard, excessive dust can be a ‘statutory nuisance
(under the Environmental Protection Act). Even when
it is not a statutory nuisance, it can lead to
complaints from neighbours and possible damage to
neighbouring property.
Who needs to understand relevant environmental
risks on a construction site?
A: Only the principal contractor
B: Only the subcontractors
C: Everyone working on the site
D: Only the environmental clerk of works
Right Answer: C
The actions of everyone on site determine how well
the risks to the environment (such as water pollution,
or creating a local nuisance) are controlled.
Under environmental law, which statement is true?
A: Companies and individuals can be prosecuted
if they do not follow the law
B: Companies can be prosecuted, but not
individuals
C: It is legal to transport business waste without
proper paperwork
D: It is legal to disturb protected species’
habitats
Right Answer: A
Most environmental law is enforced against
companies, but the regulator in the relevant part of
the UK (the Environment Agency, SEPA or NIEA) can
also prosecute company officers and even have
powers to prosecute employees if they wilfully
contribute to environmental harm
Do individuals have any responsibility for
sustainability when on site?
A: No, it is dealt with by the site manager
B: No, it is 3 matter for the Environment
Agency/NIEA/SEPA
C: Only on sites where there is asbestos
D: Yes, on every site
Right Answer: D
Your responsibility is to follow the site and company
rules aimed at environmental protection and
sustainability, and to help your company to comply
with relevant legal requirements, such as the need
to segregate waste properly (e.g. so that it can be
recovered).
Which of the following is NOT best practice from a sustainability point of view?
A: Saving materials, fuel, water and energy
B: Looking after the people working on or near
the site
C: Protecting the environment
D: Sending unused and waste copper cables to landfill
Right Answer: D
Option D) would be wasting a valuable natural
resource (copper) that could be effectively recovered
for later use or recycling. Reusing or recycling copper
has less environmental impact than mining and
extracting new copper reserves.
Which of the following does NOT help sustainability
during construction projects?
A: Leaving engines and motors running when
they are not needed
B: Segregating waste
C: Vehicle sharing or using public transport to
get to work
D: Avoiding overheating site huts
Right Answer: A
Option A) generates local air pollution and carbon
dioxide emissions {which contribute to global
warming), and also increases the noise nuisance.
Which of the following should you do on site in the
interest of sustainability?
A: Run plant and equipment when they are not
needed
B: Bury waste material
C: Comply with site instructions on handling
waste materials
D: Pour waste liquids down a drain off-site
Right Answer: C
Your actions will help your company, and others
working on site, to achieve more sustainable work
practices, such as waste recovery.
Which of the following is NOT part of
‘environmentally-friendly’ construction?
A: Creating a dust nuisance to residents in
neighbouring properties
B: Preventing water and soil pollution
C: Saving energy
D: Minimising the amount of waste you create
Right Answer: A
Neighbours outside the site are an important part of
the wider environment. They may be affected by
nuisance (such as noise, dust or even light at night),
and they may complain to the client, main contractor
or the local enforcing authority. Creating certain
types of nuisance is an offence under the
Environmental Protection Act.
From an environmental point of view, why should
materials be reused, where possible?
A: To save the client money
B: A lot of energy and raw materials go into
making most construction products
C: It makes less mess on site
D: It’s a European Union Law
Right Answer: B
Although reducing the amount of waste is the first
priority, the re-use of materials can also contribute to
effective waste management.
Which action will help to minimise waste?
A: Only take or open what you need and return
or reseal anything left over
B:Use new materials/packs at the beginning of
each day
C:Leave materials unprotected in the rain
D:Always order much more than usually
required — just in case you need it
Right Answer: A
The hierarchy for managing waste is to
reduce/reuse/recover. Reducing the amount of
waste is therefore the first priority.
