Environmental Law: Key Concepts and Regulations

Environmental Law Questions and Answers

Section 1: General Principles

Question 1

V?

  1. Currently, environmental factors are considered an opportunity for firms to obtain a strategic market position.
  2. Non-adherence to an environmental management system based on ISO standards involves legal liability.
  3. The failure to comply with environmental law involves only loss of image and competitiveness for the company.
  4. Environmental legislation related to waste, soil, water, air, noise, and biodiversity is preventive, corrective, and repressive.

Answer: A) 1 and 4

Question 2

False? Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information…

  1. Guarantees the right of access to environmental information held by public authorities.
  2. Ensures that environmental information is automatically disseminated and available to the public.
  3. Claims that environmental information is accessible only to the most polluting entities.
  4. Has not been transposed into state law.

Answer: B) 3 and 4

Question 3

The characteristics of sustainable development are, among others:

  • Balance between economic activity and the environment.
  • Using resources efficiently.
  • Promotion of regional self-sufficiency.
  • Promote recycling and reuse.

Answer: A) All

Question 4

True:

  1. Regulations and Decisions of the European Union need to be transposed by member states.
  2. European Union Directives need to be transposed by member states, while Regulations and Decisions are directly applicable.
  3. Decisions of the European Union are only mandatory for precise and specific targets, like regulations.
  4. Directives indicate the means used to achieve the results set within the framework.

Answer: C) 2

Question 5

True: Information about environmental legislation…

  • Can be found in the Official State Bulletin (BOE).
  • Can be found in the Official Journals of the Autonomous Communities, such as Castilla-La Mancha.
  • If it is local, is included in bylaws.
  • Can be found on websites specializing in legislation to facilitate access to it.

Answer: D) All

Section 2: Specific Regulations

Question 6

The law on prevention and integrated pollution control (IPPC):

  1. Imposes the obligation to coordinate environmental clearances when several administrations are involved.
  2. Focuses on corrective environmental legislation.
  3. Applies to plans and programs.
  4. Aims to reduce pollution by sectors, i.e., making separate treatments for the control of emissions to air, water, or soil.

Answer: A) 1

Question 7

Indicate environmental law issues considered within preventive law:

  1. Environmental Impact Assessment
  2. Nature and Biodiversity Heritage
  3. Atmosphere
  4. Civil Protection

Answer: A) 1 and 2

Question 8

False:

  1. Best Available Technology (BAT) is the most effective in achieving a high general level of environmental protection, even if its development is at a prototype or laboratory scale.
  2. BAT must be applied to obtain an Environmental Authorization.
  3. Strategic Environmental Assessment applies to plans and programs related to the environment.
  4. Strategic Environmental Assessment arises because the Environmental Impact Assessment has shown some shortcomings, as in the case of decision-making in the earlier phases of a project to avoid adverse environmental impacts.

Answer: D) 1

Question 9

The network “Natura 2000” was created to protect biodiversity in the European Union and is comprised of:

  1. Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and Special Protection Areas for Birds (SPA).
  2. Only Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).
  3. SCI, SPA, and SAC.
  4. Parks, nature reserves, marine protected areas, protected landscapes, and more.

Answer: C) 3

Question 10

The emission sources of pollutants:

  1. Relate to emission levels that are equal to the levels of intake.
  2. Can be fixed, mobile, and mixed.
  3. Produce secondary pollutants, such as acids that cause acid rain.
  4. Relate to surface water pollution.

Answer: B) 2

Question 11

False:

  1. Water management includes utilities (water concession) and discharges.
  2. The agency responsible for a watershed is the competent administration of the Autonomous Community where the waters flow into the sea.
  3. Discharges can only be done through the drainage system, never directly.
  4. Water uptake is regulated by an order (Order ARM/1312/2009) establishing systems for, inter alia, the effective control of the volumes of water used for water harvesting in the Public Water Domain (DPH).

Answer: C) 2 and 3

Question 12

False:

  1. Civil protection, in terms of environmental legislation, relates to the control of risks inherent in major accidents involving ionizing radiation only.
  2. There is legislation to prevent major accidents involving dangerous substances.
  3. Environmental law related to civil protection is preventive in nature.
  4. As with environmental legislation related to Environmental Impact Assessment, the legislation related to civil protection has a corrective nature.

Answer: B) 1, 3, and 4

Question 13

True:

  1. Ionizing radiation and the damage caused by it can be measured using the magnitudes of activity, dose, and dose equivalent.
  2. The equivalent dose is the absorbed dose for the individual, considering the damage or biological effect produced, and the unit of measurement is the Becquerel (Bq).
  3. The equivalent dose is the absorbed dose for the individual, considering the damage or biological effect produced, and the unit of measurement is the Gray (Gy).
  4. The equivalent dose is the absorbed dose for the individual, considering the damage or biological effect produced, and is defined as the absorbed dose multiplied by a quality factor that depends on the type of radiation.

Answer: C) 1 and 4

Question 14

True:

  1. The electromagnetic spectrum can be divided into two regions according to the energy associated with the electromagnetic wave: the ionizing radiation region and the non-ionizing radiation region.
  2. Within ionizing electromagnetic waves are the following types: …
  3. Corpuscular radiation, like ionizing electromagnetic radiation, is characterized by its ability for ionization and penetration.

Answer: B) 1 and 3

Question 15

False:

  1. There are two types of risks of exposure to ionizing radiation: external radiation and radioactive contamination.
  2. Radioactive contamination occurs when a person is exposed without being in contact with the radiation source.
  3. The equivalent dose is measured in Sievert (Sv) and is the magnitude used to determine the threshold dose, above which more or less immediate damage appears.
  4. Non-ionizing radiation includes, among others, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwaves, and electromagnetic fields.

Answer: D) 2