SYLLABUS
Name of
Course:
Environmental Technology Techniques
Course
Instructor:
Gary Phillips, Environmental Studies Program Coordinator
Office phone number - (712) 362-7978 & e-mail address - gphillips@iowalakes.edu
Credits:
Lecture (EV244A) - 4 credits, Laboratory (EV244B) - 0 credits
Catalog
Description:
Introduction to the problems associated with environmental pollution and
the techniques available to monitor, document, and control environmental
pollution. Attention is given to
those environmental problems that may cause sickness or impaired health in
humans. Topics covered include
environmental regulations, environmental safety, pollution control, and waste
management.
Text:
Introduction to Environmental Technology by Ann Boyce.
Other
Materials:
Environmental Technology Techniques Laboratory Manual
Objective of
Course:
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the problems
associated with environmental pollution and to familiarize them with the
techniques which are available to monitor, document, and control environmental
pollutants.
Course
Content:
Environmental
regulations.
Environmental
safety.
Pollution
control.
Waste
management.
Method of
Instructional Delivery:
There are three hours of lecture, demonstrations, and discussions each
week. A one-hour test will be given
after each of the four units covered in this course.
Two 2-hour laboratory periods are also part of this course.
These lab periods are used for the performance of experiments, field
trips, writing of lab reports, and work on special projects and research papers.
Learning
Objectives/Competencies:
Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:
Define the
following terms: laws, criminal
law, civil laws, statutory laws, common laws, initiative process, politics,
bill, joint resolutions, and lobbyists.
List the three
branches of federal government and describe the duties of each.
Outline the
process used in creating new laws.
Define
rulemaking and explain how this process is applied to environmental law.
Describe the
role of the Federal Register System in rulemaking.
Describe how
environmental laws are enforced and list the agencies responsible for
carrying out enforcement duties.
Define the
following terms: civil action,
criminal action, misdemeanor, felony, plaintiff, defendant, common lawsuit,
civil lawsuit, and class action lawsuit.
Describe how
environmental policy is affected by politics and social change.
Outline the key
points addressed by the following key environmental laws National
Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking
Water Act, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Toxic
Substances Control Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act, Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, Marine
Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, and Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act.
List the points
which must be addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement.
Outline the
requirements of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Program
as described in SARA Title 3.
Outline the
history of environmental safety from its early beginnings to the present.
List and
describe the key laws dealing with environmental safety and industrial
hygiene.
Describe the
regulatory framework established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
List the OSHA
compliance rights and responsibilities of the employee and employer.
Define the
following types of stresses and give examples of each:
physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic.
List and
describe the types of control measures utilized to protect workers from
workplace hazards.
Define the
following hazard exposure limits: permissible
exposure limit (PEL), time weighted average (TWA), threshold limit value (TLV),
recommended exposure limit (REL), short term exposure limit (STEL), ceiling
limit (CL), and immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).
Describe the
following occupational hazards and the methods utilized to monitor and
evaluate the threats posed by these hazards: occupational air pollution, heat, cold, noise, nonionizing
radiation, ionizing radiation, and microbiological.
List the
workplace hazards that cause occupational disease and describe the type of
disease each causes.
List and
describe the key occupational health and safety regulations administered by
the federal government.
Describe the
Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) and list the points that must be
addressed by an employer under this standard.
Describe the
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (Hazwoper) and list the
requirements specified by Hazwoper.
List the
information contained in a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and describe
how the MSDS is organized to present this information.
List the types
of sampling utilized to test for air pollutants and describe the types of
data that can be obtained using each type of sampling.
List and
describe the different analytical techniques used to measure the level of
air pollutants present in the atmosphere.
Describe how the
following air pollution control techniques remove air pollutants produced by
stationary sources: gas
absorption, gas adsorption, combustion, mechanical devices, wet collectors,
filter systems, electrostatic precipitators, and afterburners.
List and
describe the air pollution control devices used to control automobile
emissions.
List the types
of sampling utilized to test for water pollutants and describe the types of
data that can be obtained using each type of sampling.
List and
describe the different analytical techniques used to measure the level of
water pollutants present in a body of water.
Describe the
process of water treatment, including the objectives of water treatment, the
use of municipal water, and the components of a typical water treatment
system.
Describe how the following water treatment techniques remove
contaminants from a water supply: clarification,
filtration, chlorination, fluoridation, nuisance ion removal, water
softening, and demineralization.
Describe the
process of wastewater treatment including the categories of wastewater and
the objective of wastewater treatment.
Describe the
following wastewater treatment techniques and how they remove
contaminants from the wastewater:
primary treatment, secondary treatment, tertiary treatment,
disinfection, sludge treatment, and stabilization ponds.
Define the
following terms: screening, grit chamber, flotation, sedimentation tanks,
biological filtration, trickling filter, biological disks, activated sludge,
reverse osmosis, flow equalization, anaerobic digestion, and aerobic
digestion.
List and
describe the stages which must be completed during a Superfund Cleanup of a
contaminated site.
Define
bioremediation and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using this
technique.
List and
describe the four basic strategies utilized in the management of wastes.
Outline the
steps involved in integrated waste management programs.
List and
describe the various types of incentives which can be utilized to encourage
waste reduction.
Summarize the
various methodologies utilized to store hazardous wastes including the usage
and types of underground storage tanks.
Describe the
criteria and regulations associated with the transportation of hazardous
wastes.
List and
describe the classes of hazardous materials utilized by the Department of
Transportation.
Describe the
various means utilized to communicate the presence of hazards to the public
during the transportation of hazardous materials.
Describe the
methodologies utilized in the management of hazardous materials.
List and
describe the methods utilized for the disposal of hazardous wastes.
List the
categories of landfills and describe the types of wastes which can be stored
in each type of landfill.
Describe the
criteria used when selecting a hazardous waste disposal site.
Describe the
methodologies utilized in the management and disposal of nuclear wastes.
Describe the
criteria associated with the collection of solid wastes.
Define resource
recovery and describe the various technologies which can be utilized in
resource recovery programs.
Describe the
following solid waste disposal technologies:
recycling, sanitary landfilling, incineration, and composting.
Methods of
Evaluation:
Four 1-hour tests of 100 points each will be given during the semester.
These tests will include multiple choice and essay questions. Four quizzes will also be given during the semester.
Laboratory reports will be required for selected labs and will be graded
on accuracy, completeness, proper format, neatness, and scientific knowledge.
A 100 point research paper is also required for this course.
Students are expected to attend class except in cases of sickness,
emergencies, or excused absences. Students
who miss class for the above reasons will be allowed to make up their work.
Some extra credit may be earned for approved projects.
Grading:
Grading is determined by a percentage of total points for the semester.
Sixty percent is required to pass the course, seventy percent for a C,
eighty percent for a B, and ninety percent for an A.
Tests 400 points
Quizzes 40 points
Laboratory Reports 260 points
Research Paper 100 points
TOTAL POINTS 800