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NEBOSH ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT DIPLOMA QUESTIONS
1 (a) Identify how manufacturing activities may contribute to causing the phenomenon known as the ‘greenhouse effect’. (14) (b) Explain how the technique of life cycle analysis may be used to understand the extent to which a manufactured product contributes to the greenhouse effect. (6) 2 Identify environmental factors that should be considered when selecting a site for a new landfill for non-hazardous waste. (20) 3 An organisation’s energy bill appears to be excessive. Describe actions that could be taken to help reduce energy consumption without the need for heavy capital expenditure. (20) 4 (a) Identify the objectives of an environmental audit. (4) (b) Outline specific issues that should be addressed by an environmental audit. (16) 5 Explain the main requirements that apply to an environmental policy under ISO 14001:2015. (20)
6 Describe the air pollution control hierarchy AND give suitable practical examples for EACH stage. (20) 7 (a) Give the meaning of the term ‘ecosystem’. (3) (b) Outline how ecosystems may be adversely affected by human activities. (17) 8 An organisation is considering implementing an environmental management system. Explain possible benefits of implementing such a system that could be included in a paper to a Board of Directors. (20) Outline the nitrogen cycle AND describe how human activity may have caused changes to this cycle (10) A manufacturing company intends to include environmental awareness issues in the company's induction training program. Outline the environmental content that should be included in the induction training program (12). Describe the ways in which all employees might be encouraged to adhere to the company's environmental procedures (8)
A chemical manufacturing organisation operates under a permit issued by the Environment Agency for Part A (1) process under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulation 2000 Explain the procedure to be followed by the organisation if they wish to surrender their permit (5) A chemical manufacturing organisation operates under a permit issued by the Environment Agency for a Part A (1) process under the Pollution Prevention & Control Regulations 2000. Explain the enforcement options open to the Environment Agency in the case of non-compliance with the conditions of the permit (15) A local resident has complained that a small stream is being polluted by oil from a company's manufacturing site. Outline the actions that the company should take to investigate the complaint (10)
Many organisations produce publicly available corporate environmental reports Identify FOUR drivers behind organisations publishing reports on their environmental performance (4) Outline the typical content of what should be included within an annual environmental performance report (16) Identify the possible defences and remedies available for 'private nuisance' and 'public nuisance' (6). In the civil law case of Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc (1994), the House of Lords unanimously found that the defendant was not liable under the rule of ‘Rylands v Fletcher’ for contamination of a water supply borehole. (i) Describe the origin and principles of, and to, the rule of ‘Rylands v Fletcher’. (15) Under the Landfill Directive, all no-hazardous waste consigned for landfill disposal must be pre-treated.
Identify the disadvantages of incinerators over other types of waste treatment (7). Outline the principles of the 'waste hierarchy' (8) Using suitable examples, describe how the 'waste hierarchy' could be applied to minimising waste in an office environment (12). A large manufacturing company wishes to minimise the extent to which its activities contribute directly and indirectly to global warming throughout the emission of greenhouse gases. Identify activities that may lead to release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere (10). Describe how a large manufacturing company could minimise greenhouse gas emissions arising from the distribution activities. (10) Explain the causes, principles of formation and consequences of the greenhouse effect (5).
Describe the air pollution control hierarchy AND give suitable practical examples for EACH stage (20) Describe the meaning, causes and adverse effects of the following forms of water pollution: a) eutrophication (5) b) oxygen depletion (5) A commercial printing company, situated in a predominately residential area, currently operates a day shift only. Having secured new contracts for printing mail order catalogues, it is now proposing to introduce a night shift. Describe the various sources of night time noise disturbance that could be caused by the proposed change (8) A drain valve serving an above-ground oil storage tank at a commercial garage had been opened by vandals allowing the escape of several thousand litres of oil, some of which has entered the site drainage system that leads directly to a nearby stream. The tank was not protected by a suitable bund wall and was situated close to a public thoroughfare, across the forecourt of the garage.
Describe the benefits and possible drawbacks to an organisation of integrating its currently separate systems for health and safety management and environmental management (20) In relation to stack emissions, explain what is meant by in-situ and extractive monitoring (4) Describe the specific issues that should be addressed by an environmental audit (10) The potential liabilities arising from non-compliance with environmental regulatory controls can be significant. Outline the ways in which such non-compliance may adversely affect a business (10)
A factory discharges an effluent into a nearby stream. The Environment Agency has issued a consent under the Water Resources Act. Outline the actions that the Environment Agency could take if the organisation were to breach the consent conditions (5). Building on last weeks question regarding a factory discharging effluent to a nearby stream under a consent from thEnvironmentnt Agency: Explain the management controls that you would expet to be in place to ensure that the organisdation meets its consent conditions (10) Non-governmental organisations (NGO) play an important role in protecting the environment. Describe the advantages and limitations of NGO's in this role (10). Explain the meaning of the common law tort of private nuisance (5) Outline the environmental factors that should be considered in selecting a suitable site for a new chemical waste treatment facility (10).
Question 2 (a) Outline what is meant by the term ‘biodiversity’. (6) (b) Explain why maintaining biodiversity is important. (14) Question 3 A food manufacturing organisation uses a large amount of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in its refrigeration systems. The organisation intends to replace the HCFCs and is considering a new system that uses ammonia as a refrigerant. (a) Identify the main environmental issues associated with the use of HCFCs. (2) (b) Outline what the organisation should include in its assessment of the potential new system. (18) Question 4 There has been a major fire at a chemical products storage warehouse. (a) Outline environmental impacts that could be caused by the fire. (8) (b) Identify what should be in place to prevent or minimise environmental damage from fire-fighting water runoff at the site. (12)
Question 5 An organisation is proposing to develop a large, new corporate office building. Describe what could be included in the design of the new building to minimise its impact upon the environment. (20) Question 6 A manufacturing organisation is concerned about rising waste disposal costs. Outline a strategy for reducing waste costs without the need for high initial spending. (20) Question 7 BS EN ISO 14001:2015 requires organisations to establish environmental objectives. (a) Explain what is meant by the term environmental objectives. (8) (b) Explain how an organisation should set targets. (6) (c) Outline actions that could be taken if a target is unlikely to be achieved within the specified time period. (6)
Question 3 An organisation has an environmental management system, certified to ISO 14001, and a separate health and safety management system in place. Senior management wants to introduce a formal quality management system and is considering integrating the three systems. (a) Explain potential benefits of integration. (10) (b) Explain potential limitations of integration. (10) Question 4 (a) Identify environmental considerations relating to the location of a potential new landfill site. (8) (b) Identify issues that should be addressed in the proper management of the landfill site once it is in operation. (12) Question 5 Outline appropriate indicators that may reflect an organisation’s environmental management performance. (20) Question 6 (a) In the context of environmental noise, outline the following terms: (i) ‘A’ weighting scale; (3) (ii) percentile sound levels; (3) (iii) equivalent continuous sound pressure level. (3)
(b) Describe how the potential for complaint from environmental noise should be assessed. (11) Question 7 (a) Outline what is meant by ‘cost benefit analysis’. (4) (b) Explain how cost benefit analysis is applied in an environmental context. (16) Question 8 (a) (i) Outline the carbon cycle. (4) (ii) Describe how human activity may cause changes to the carbon cycle. (6) (b) (i) Outline the nitrogen cycle. (4) (ii) Describe how human activity may cause changes to the nitrogen cycle. (6) Question 1 ISO 14001:2015 requires an organisation to determine its environmental aspects and associated environmental impacts. Significant aspects and impacts need to be addressed by the environmental management system. (a) Explain how environmental aspects and impacts should be identified. (12)
Question 5 An organisation is proposing to develop a large, new corporate office building. Describe what could be included in the design of the new building to minimise its impact upon the environment. (20) Question 6 A manufacturing organisation is concerned about rising waste disposal costs. Outline a strategy for reducing waste costs without the need for high initial spending. (20) Question 7 BS EN ISO 14001:2015 requires organisations to establish environmental objectives. (a) Explain what is meant by the term environmental objectives. (8) (b) Explain how an organisation should set targets. (6) (c) Outline actions that could be taken if a target is unlikely to be achieved within the specified time period. (6) Question 8 Environmental modelling can be used to predict ground level air pollution caused by emissions from a chimney. (a) Describe the main stages that are followed when using an air pollution dispersion model. (15) (b) Outline limitations of air pollution dispersion modelling. (5)
Question 1 An agricultural organisation has found that run-off from one of its farms is entering a nearby river. The farm uses fertilisers and chemical pesticides on its crops. (a) Identify chemical, physical, or biological properties of the farm run-off that may cause pollution. (5) (b) Describe the potential environmental effects of this run-off entering the watercourse. (15) Question 2 Incineration is a waste treatment technology that involves the combustion of waste at high temperatures. (a) Identify THREE of the main groups of air pollutants that may be released by the incineration process AND give a relevant example for EACH group. (6) (b) (i) Outline the benefits of incineration. (7) (ii) Outline the limitations of incineration. (7) Question 3 Identify environmental issues that could be considered in a policy for purchasing goods. (20) Question 4 A manufacturing organisation uses adhesives containing organic solvents in one of its processes. The organisation is planning to carry out emissions monitoring of solvents that could be released to the atmosphere through an exhaust stack. (a) Outline what should be considered when planning this
