Free Environmental Health and Sanitation MCQs with Answers
50 Environmental Health and Sanitation MCQs from Community Health Nursing, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Environmental health examines how water, air, food, housing, waste, noise, chemicals and workplace conditions affect disease and well-being. Sanitation content includes safe water treatment and storage, sewage and solid-waste disposal, food hygiene, vector control and the distinction between personal cleanliness and broader public-health sanitation.
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50 questions · page 3 of 3
- A. It stores drinking water for later household use
- B. It settles solids and partly decomposes sewage
- C. It disinfects sewage completely before discharge
- D. It removes all chemical pollutants from sewage
Explanation: A septic tank allows solids to settle and undergo anaerobic decomposition before the liquid effluent leaves the tank.
Correct answer: It settles solids and partly decomposes sewage- A. Direct the wastewater onto the nearest road
- B. Construct a properly designed soakage pit
- C. Store the wastewater in an open bucket
- D. Mix the wastewater with household drinking water
Explanation: A soakage pit allows suitable household wastewater to infiltrate into the soil while reducing stagnant surface water.
Correct answer: Construct a properly designed soakage pit- A. Noise from traffic near a school
- B. Drinking water contaminated with human feces
- C. Poor lighting inside a crowded house
- D. Exposure to cotton dust at work
Explanation: Cholera spreads mainly through ingestion of water or food contaminated with feces containing Vibrio cholerae.
Correct answer: Drinking water contaminated with human feces- A. Open one window after smoking
- B. Smoke only in a separate outdoor area
- C. Use an air freshener in the room
- D. Allow smoking near the kitchen exhaust fan
Explanation: A completely smoke-free home is the most effective household protection for children.
Correct answer: Smoke only in a separate outdoor area- A. Wet-mop dust and remove the lead paint hazard safely
- B. Dry-sweep the walls every morning
- C. Give iron tablets without assessing the home
- D. Paint over the peeling surface without preparation
Explanation: Older peeling paint may contain lead, and wet cleaning helps prevent contaminated dust from becoming airborne.
Correct answer: Wet-mop dust and remove the lead paint hazard safely- A. Provide perfume to mask the chemical smell
- B. Improve local exhaust ventilation and keep containers closed
- C. Ask the worker to hold the container farther away
- D. Replace protective gloves with cotton gloves
Explanation: Local exhaust ventilation and closed containers reduce exposure at the source, which is higher in the control hierarchy than relying only…
Correct answer: Improve local exhaust ventilation and keep containers closed- A. Flush them down the household toilet
- B. Burn them with ordinary kitchen refuse
- C. Return them to an authorised medicine collection point
- D. Leave them uncovered beside the community refuse bin
Explanation: Expired medicines should be returned to an authorised collection or health facility disposal system so they can be handled as…
Correct answer: Return them to an authorised medicine collection point- A. It removes oils and fats before wastewater enters drains
- B. It sterilises sewage before it reaches a drain
- C. It converts drinking water into wastewater
- D. It increases the flow of solid refuse through pipes
Explanation: A grease trap collects fats, oils and grease before they enter drainage pipes, helping prevent blockage and foul odours.
Correct answer: It removes oils and fats before wastewater enters drains- A. Wash the cut once and leave it uncovered
- B. Cover it with a waterproof dressing and wear a glove
- C. Dip the finger in disinfectant before each task
- D. Continue working if the cut is not painful
Explanation: A waterproof dressing followed by a clean glove helps prevent organisms from the wound entering food.
Correct answer: Cover it with a waterproof dressing and wear a glove- A. Provide sweetened drinks during the shift
- B. Install local exhaust ventilation near dusty machinery
- C. Ask workers to work faster to shorten exposure
- D. Place a fan behind each worker to blow dust away
Explanation: Local exhaust ventilation captures cotton dust near the machinery before it spreads through the workplace.
Correct answer: Install local exhaust ventilation near dusty machinery