What environmental risk do secondary containment measures address?

• A. Improve air circulation.
• B. Increase storage area.
• C. Prevent leakage or runoff from contaminating the environment.
• D. Enhance color coding.

Answer: (C)

Secondary containment is about stopping spills from contaminating the environment by providing a backup barrier around stored liquids. If a container leaks or overfills, the liquid is caught in a secondary container or barrier—like a spill tray, containment basin, bermed area, or double-walled vessel—before it can reach floors, drains, soil, or nearby water sources. This keeps contaminants on site, makes cleanup easier, and helps meet environmental protection and spill-prevention rules.

Ventilation would address air movement, not liquid containment. Simply increasing the storage area doesn’t prevent leaks from reaching the environment. Color coding helps with labeling and organization, not with preventing environmental contamination.