CHMM (IHMM) cheat sheet

RCRA (1976, amended 1984 by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments): Subtitle C governs hazardous waste cradle-to-grave, Subtitle D governs non-hazardous solid waste, Subtitle I governs underground storage tanks.

RCRA characteristic waste codes: D001 ignitable, D002 corrosive (pH ≤ 2 or ≥ 12.5), D003 reactive, D004–D043 toxicity characteristic as determined by the TCLP.

CERCLA (1980) created the Superfund cleanup program and retroactive strict liability; SARA (1986) added EPCRA as Title III and the innocent-landowner and municipal defenses.

EPCRA reporting triggers: immediate release notification to the National Response Center plus state and local committees at or above the reportable quantity; Tier II inventory by March 1; TRI Form R by July 1.

29 CFR 1910.120 (HAZWOPER): general site workers need 40-hour initial training plus 24 hours of supervised field experience; limited-duty workers need 24 hours; all need an 8-hour annual refresher.

49 CFR 172 basic shipping description order: UN/NA identification number, proper shipping name, hazard class or division, packing group - e.g., UN1263, Paint, 3, PG II.

Clean Water Act: NPDES permits are required for point-source discharges under section 402; Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure plans are required for oil storage under section 311.

Clean Air Act: Title V operating permits, NESHAP and MACT standards for hazardous air pollutants, and Risk Management Program plans under section 112(r).

TSCA (1976) regulates industrial chemical substances and governs PCBs at 40 CFR 761; FIFRA separately governs pesticide registration and use.

pH = −log[H+]; each unit change is a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration; the RCRA corrosivity thresholds are pH ≤ 2 or ≥ 12.5.

First-order decay: C = C0 × e^(−kt), so t½ = 0.693/k and concentration falls by half with each half-life.

Henry's law: C_air = H × C_water; a large Henry's law constant favors volatilization of a dissolved chemical, a small one favors it staying in water.

Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid emits enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air; NFPA 30 Class I liquids have a flash point below 100 °F (37.8 °C).

Flammability window runs from the lower to the upper explosive limit; vapor density greater than 1 means the vapor sinks and collects in low or confined spaces, less than 1 means it rises.

Exposure metrics: TLV-TWA and OSHA PEL are 8-hour time-weighted averages, STEL is a 15-minute average, ceiling is a never-exceed value, and IDLH is the NIOSH immediately dangerous level.

Toxicity endpoints: LD50 and LC50 mark the dose or concentration lethal to 50 percent of test animals; NOAEL and LOAEL anchor reference doses and cancer slope factors in risk assessment.

A log Kow above roughly 3 signals bioaccumulation potential; the bioconcentration factor relates steady-state organism concentration to dissolved water concentration.

Darcy's law: Q = K × i × A, where K is hydraulic conductivity, i is hydraulic gradient, and A is cross-sectional area; it governs groundwater flow and pump-and-treat design.

Waste management hierarchy in order of preference: source reduction, reuse, recycling, treatment, and disposal last.

Satellite accumulation limits: no more than 55 gallons of hazardous waste, or 1 quart of liquid acute hazardous waste, at or near the point of generation; the containers must be moved within 3 days of exceeding the limit.

Accumulation time limits: large quantity generator 90 days; small quantity generator 180 days, extended to 270 days when the receiving facility is 200 miles or more away.

Containers are kept closed except when waste is being added or removed, and are inspected at least weekly for leaks, corrosion, and deterioration with results documented.

Hazard communication: safety data sheets have 16 sections; labels carry the product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, pictograms, and supplier contact information.

Secondary containment sizing for container storage: capacity of the largest container plus freeboard, or 10 percent of the aggregate volume, whichever is greater.

Contingency plan contents: emergency coordinators and alternates, arrangements with local responders, evacuation routes, an equipment inventory, and a current copy kept on site.

Work zones: exclusion (hot) zone, contamination reduction (warm) zone where decontamination occurs, and support (cold) zone for command, staging, and clean operations.

Training recurrence: 8-hour HAZWOPER refresher annually, DOT hazmat employee recurrent training at least every 3 years, and annual RCRA facility personnel training.