APEGS NPPE Exam - Topic 2 Question 6 Discussion

Actual exam question for APEGS's NPPE exam

Question #: 6
Topic #: 2

A licensed professional is the Manager of a chemical plant in a northern Canadian town. Internal environmental monitoring shows that effluent was released above permitted levels. The release poses no danger to people but could endanger a small number of fish.

Of the following possibilities, which action should the Manager take first?

AContact the corporate public relations personnel for advice on the issue.

BEnsure that the issue is reported to the relevant environmental regulators.

CContact the relevant environmental regulator's hotline and reveal the problem anonymously.

DEnsure that the company begins a root-cause analysis of the issue to determine the best long-term solution.

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: B

NPPE Codes of Ethics and Canadian environmental law require professionals to comply with environmental regulations and report exceedances to regulatory authorities. Protection of the environment and public interest is paramount, regardless of perceived severity.

Option B is the correct first action. Root-cause analysis is important but secondary to regulatory compliance. Options A and C are inappropriate initial steps and do not satisfy reporting obligations.

by Wilda at Mar 07, 2026, 05:05 PM

Limited Time Offer

25%

Off

Get Premium NPPE Questions as Interactive Web-Based Practice Test or PDF

Contribute your Thoughts:

Submit Cancel

Ernestine

15 days ago

Wait, is it really that serious? Just a few fish?

upvoted 0 times

...

Lizbeth

20 days ago

I think D is more important for long-term solutions.

upvoted 0 times

...

Genevive

25 days ago

Definitely B, gotta report it to the regulators first!

upvoted 0 times

...

Josefa

1 month ago

A sounds like a bad idea. PR shouldn't be the first step here.

upvoted 0 times

...

Dusti

1 month ago

Surprised this even happened! How did they let it go above limits?

upvoted 0 times

...

Tamera

1 month ago

Wait, why not C? Anonymity could protect the manager.

upvoted 0 times

...

Ettie

2 months ago

I think D is more proactive. Root-cause analysis first!

upvoted 0 times

...

Merissa

2 months ago

Definitely B! Reporting to regulators is a must.

upvoted 0 times

...

Denae

2 months ago

I was leaning towards contacting public relations first, but now I’m questioning if that’s the right move. It feels like we should prioritize regulatory compliance instead.

upvoted 0 times

...

Denae

2 months ago

I feel like starting a root-cause analysis is important, but it might be better to report the issue first. I just can’t remember the exact order from my notes.

upvoted 0 times

...

Judy

2 months ago

I'm not entirely sure, but I remember a similar question where immediate reporting was emphasized. Maybe contacting the hotline could be an option too?

upvoted 0 times

...

Ocie

2 months ago

I think the first step should be to report the issue to the environmental regulators. It seems like the most responsible action.

upvoted 0 times

...