About Green "Protect Planet Earth"

 

GREEN GLOSSARY
[Ctrl+F to search specific term OR click on the links below]
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Acidification (acid rain): The release of materials which have been transformed by chemical
processes in the atmosphere and are then deposited on earth through rain, sleet or fog. These
materials can cause damage to buildings and harm terrestrial, animal, plant and human health.
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM): A nonprofit organization that provides a
voluntary consensus system for developing standards, through committees composed of
producers, engineers, academics, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders. www.astm.org
Antimony: A silvery-white metal found in the earth's crust; frequently alloyed with lead to
increase its hardness and strength. When combined with oxygen, it produces antimony trioxide.
Antimony trioxide: A compound used as a fire retardant and as a catalyst to manufacture PET
(polyethylene terephthalate.) It is a suspected human carcinogen.
Aquatic toxicity: The use or release of substances that have a toxic impact on aquatic species.
American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI): The U.S. textile industry's trade association
for the domestic textile industry; activities encompass government relations, international trade,
product and administrative services, communications and economic information. www.atmi.org
ASTM: see American Society for Testing and Materials
ATMI: see American Textile Manufacturers Institute
B
BEES: see Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability
Bioaccumulation: An increase in the concentration of a chemical in a biological organism over
time, compared to the chemical's concentration in the environment.
Biobased product: A commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) that utilizes
biological products or renewable domestic agricultural (plant, animal and marine) or forestry
materials. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Biodegradation: The process by which a substance or material is broken down (or decomposed
or metabolized) by microorganisms and reduced to organic or inorganic molecules which can be
further utilized by living systems.

Biodegradable: Exhibiting the capability of being broken down (or decomposed or metabolized)
by microorganisms and reduced to organic or inorganic molecules which can be further utilized by
living systems.
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): When a body of wastewater contains too much biological
material, the bacteria and other microorganisms in it cannot successfully decompose all the
organic matter for food, growth and energy. This breaking down of the biological material requires
oxygen; therefore, by measuring the amount of oxygen that is depleted from the sample as a
result of such bacterial action, the balance within the aquatic environment can be measured. The
BOD is a standard test, which takes five days to run, and is performed by introducing a population
of bacteria and microorganisms to attempt to duplicate what would happen in a natural stream. It
is the most commonly used method to estimate the total quantity of biodegradable organic
material in wastewater. Compare to Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
Definition Source: Industrial Waste Treatment Handbook; Frank Woodard; Ed. Butterworth
Heinemann, p. 179-181.
BOD: see biochemical oxygen demand
Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES): Software for selecting cost-
effective environmentally preferable building products, developed by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology with assistance from the EPA Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Program. www.bfrl.nist.gov
By-product: Anything produced in an industrial or biological process in addition to the principal
product; a secondary and sometimes unexpected or unintended result.
C
California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES): An information system
developed by the California Resources Agency to facilitate access to a variety of electronic data
describing California's diverse environments. www.cere.ca.gov
CERCLA: see Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act
CERES: see California Environmental Resources Evaluation System
CFC: see chlorofluorocarbon
Chemical oxygen demand (COD): When a body of wastewater contains too much biological
material, the bacteria and other microorganisms in it cannot successfully decompose all the
organic matter for food, growth and energy. This breaking down of the biological material requires
oxygen; therefore, by measuring the amount of oxygen that is depleted from the sample as a
result of such bacterial action, the balance within the aquatic environment can be measured.
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is a test that adds a strong chemical oxidizing agent to the
wastewater sample in order to estimate the result of bacterial action. Although it is completely
artificial it is considered to yield a result that may be used as the basis on which to calculate a
reasonably accurate and reproducible estimate of the oxygen-demanding properties of a
wastewater. The COD's advantages (compared to the BOD test) are that it takes under three
hours for completion and is not subject to the interference from toxic materials that can affect the
results of the BOD. Both of these are standard tests for estimating the health of an aquatic
environment.
Definition Source: Industrial Waste Treatment Handbook; Frank Woodard; Ed. Butterworth
Heinemann, p. 179-181.

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC): A compound consisting of chlorine, fluorine and carbon. CFCs are
very stable in the troposphere. CFCs are commonly used as refrigerants, solvents and foam-
blowing agents; uses of CFCs in aerosols are prohibited because they deplete stratospheric
ozone. www.epa.gov
Clean Air Act: The federal statute that regulates air emissions from area, stationary and mobile
sources. This law authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment.
www.epa.gov
Clean Water Act: The Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, as amended in
1977, became commonly known as the Clean Water Act. The Act established the basic structure
for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. www.epa.gov
Climatex® Lifecycle™: Registered trademark owned by Rohner Textil AG. www.climatex.com
Climatex® Lifeguard™: Registered trademark owned by Rohner Textil AG. www.climatex.com
Closed-loop: A type of manufacturing process that utilizes a cyclical material flow in order to
minimize waste.
COD: see chemical oxygen demand
Compostable: possessing the ability to break down into, or otherwise become part of, usable
compost (e.g. soil-conditioning material, mulch) in a safe and timely manner.
www.ftc.gov/os/1998/9804/63fr24240.pdf
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA): The
federal statute (of 1980) that created the Superfund program and established a trust fund for the
cleanup of abandoned and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. www.epa.gov
Content™: Registered trademark owned by Maharam. www.maharam.com
Cradle-to-cradle: A term used in life-cycle analysis to describe a material or product that is
recycled into a new product at the end of its defined life.
Criteria air pollutants: Six substances (ozone, lead, particulate matter, carbon monoxide,
nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide) used as indicators of air quality; the EPA has established a
maximum concentration for each above which human health may be adversely affected.
D
Design for disassembly: The design and engineering of a product so that it can be dismantled
for easier maintenance, repair, recovery and reuse of components and materials.
DOT (Department of Transportation) Hazardous Material: Materials that have been
designated by the DOT to pose an unreasonable risk to human health, safety and/or property
when transported. www.dot.gov
Duraprene™: Registered trademark owned by the Designtex Group. www.dtex.com
E

E3: see Encouraging Environmental Excellence
Eco-efficiency: (coined in 1992 by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
[WBCSD]); the ability to produce and deliver desirable, competitively priced goods and services
while progressively reducing the ecological impacts of these actions. www.wbcsd.ch
Eco Emblazia™: registered trademark owned by KoSa. www.kosa.com
EcoIntellegence™ Initiatives: Registered trademark owned by Victor. www.victor-
innovatex.com
EcoIntelligent™ Polyester: Registered trademark owned by Victor. www.victor-innovatex.com
EcoSpun®: Registered trademark owned by Wellman. www.wellmaninc.com
ECO SYSTEM®: The trademark owned by Mayer Fabrics. www.mayerfabrics.com
Eco-tex®: Registered trademark owned by Arc-Com Fabrics. www.arc-com.com
EHS: see Extremely Hazardous Substance
EIS: see Environmental Impact Statement
Embodied energy: The total energy from all sources necessary to make a specific product
including the calorific value of the product itself.
Embodied mass: The total quantity of mass of materials required to produce, recycle or dispose
of raw materials and products.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA): The federal statute (of
1986) that is the third part of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, also
known as SARA Title III. This law requires facilities to report the chemicals that they store,
established the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) and the Local Emergency
Planning Committees (LEPC) and led to the adoption of the OSHA HAZWOPER standard.
www.epa.gov
EMS: see Environmental Management System
Encompass™: Registered trademark owned by Tietex International. www.tietex.net
Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3): A voluntary rating system for textile factories
developed by The American Textile Manufacturers Institute. www.atmi.org
Environment: The complex of physical, chemical and biotic factors (such as climate, soil and
living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its
form and survival.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Federal laws and regulations (including NEPA, the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969) require the federal government to evaluate effects of
its actions on the environment and to consider alternative courses of action. An EIS is the
required document that describes the positive and negative impacts on the environment as a
result of a proposed action, impacts of alternatives and ways to mitigate the impacts. The Council
for Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations stipulates the recommended format and content of
Environmental Impact Statements.

Environmental Management System (EMS): An industry-developed and driven management
structure that prioritizes compliance with environmental policy objectives and targets effective
implementation of environmentally-focused procedures; a key feature of an EMS is the
preparation of documented systems, procedures and instructions to ensure effective
communication and continuity of such implementation. ISO 14001 specifies the actual
requirements for an EMS standard and is the most widely recognized system of this type.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The U.S. federal agency established in July of 1970
to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment air, water, and land upon which
life depends; works closely with other federal agencies, state and local governments and Indian
tribes to develop and enforce regulations under existing environmental laws; provides leadership
in the nation's environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts; and is
responsible for researching and setting national standards for a variety of environmental
programs and delegates to states and tribes; responsible for issuing permits, and monitoring and
enforcing compliance. www.epa.gov
Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA): An independent environmental
research institute based in Hamburg, Germany. www.epea.com
Environmentally preferable: products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human
health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the
same purpose. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production,
manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance or disposal of the product
or service. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
EPA: see Environmental Protection Agency
EPEA: see Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency
EPCRA: see Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act
EPEA: see Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency
EPP: see Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Eutraphication: Excessive growth of algal blooms in streams, lakes and other waterways due to
the addition of excessive amounts of plant nutrients (primarily phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon),
which often results from fertilizer runoff and the addition of untreated sewage to waterways;
causes the depletion of oxygen from the water and, in turn, kills the fish and other oxygen-
dependent organisms that live in the water.
Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS): Any one of over 366 hazardous chemicals on a list
compiled by the EPA to provide a focus for state and local emergency planning. www.epa.gov
F
Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The U.S. federal agency with regulatory and enforcement
authority directed towards stopping actions that threaten consumers' opportunities to exercise
informed choices. www.ftc.gov
FTC: see Federal Trade Commission
G

GHG: see greenhouse gas
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a multi-stakeholder
process and independent institution whose mission is to develop and disseminate globally
applicable Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. www.globalreporting.org
Green: An adjective used to describe something that is perceived to be beneficial to the
environment.
GREENGUARD™: A certification and labeling program for interior products and building
materials in reference to indoor air quality. www.greenguard.org
Greenhouse gas (GHG): Certain gases (including water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous
oxide, and ozone and several classes of halogenated carbons that contain fluorine, chlorine and
bromine) that allow solar radiation to reach Earth's surface and become absorbed, yet trap
thermal radiation leaving the earth's surface. Outgoing thermal radiation absorbed by these gases
heats the atmosphere. The atmosphere then emits thermal radiation both outward into space and
downward to Earth, further warming the surface.
GRI: see Global Reporting Initiative
H
HAP: see hazardous air pollutant
Hazardous air pollutant: Those pollutants that cause or may cause cancer, other serious health
effects (such as reproductive effects or birth defects) or adverse environmental and ecological
effects. The EPA is required to control 188 HAPs including dioxin; asbestos; toluene; metals such
as cadmium, mercury, chromium and lead; benzene, which is found in gasoline; perchlorethlyene,
which is emitted from some dry cleaning facilities; and methylene chloride, which is used as a
solvent and paint stripper by a number of industries. Also known as toxic air pollutants.
www.epa.gov
Hazardous material: Any material or substance, which if improperly handled or disposed of, can
cause harm to the health and well-being of humans or the environment.
Hazardous substance: Defined by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission
(NOHSC) as a substance, which has the potential, through being used at work, to harm the
health or safety of persons in the workplace. (A hazardous substance is, essentially, a hazardous
material, but NOHSC uses the term substance.)
Hazardous waste: Defined by RCRA as any waste that exhibits specific hazardous
characteristics such as ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity.
HCFC: see hydrochloroflurocarbon.
HFC: see hydrofluorocarbon.
Heavy metal: Any metallic chemical element that has a relatively high density and is toxic at low
concentrations. (Examples are mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, thallium and lead). Semi-
metallic elements (such as antimony, arsenic, selenium and tellurium) are often included in this
classification.
Hydrochloroflurocarbon (HCFC): a compound that consists of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine and
carbon. The HCFCs are a class of replacements for CFCs. They contain chlorine and thus

deplete stratospheric ozone, but to a much lesser extent than CFCs. Production of HCFCs are
currently being phased out of production. www.epa.gov
Hydrofluorocarbon: (HFC) a compound that consists of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon. The
HFCs are a class of replacements for CFCs. Because they do not contain chlorine or bromine,
they do not deplete the ozone layer. www.epa.gov

I
Indoor air pollution: Chemical, physical or biological contaminants in indoor air.
Industrial ecology: An interdisciplinary framework for designing and operating industrial systems
as living systems interdependent with natural systems.
Ingeo™: a registered trademark owned by Cargill Dow LLC. www.cargilldow.com
International Standards Organization (ISO): A non-governmental organization located in
Geneva, Switzerland, chartered to develop voluntary technical standards that aim to make the
development, manufacture and supply of goods and services safer, cleaner and more efficient.
www.iso.ch
ISO: see International Standards Organization
ISO 9000: A group of ISO standards and guidelines that relate to quality management systems.
Currently includes three quality standards: ISO 9001: 2000 establishes requirements; ISO 9000:
2000 and ISO 9004: 2000 establish guidelines. All of these are process standards, not product
standards. Compliance results in ISO 9000 Certification. www.iso.ch
ISO 14000: A group of ISO standards and guidelines that address environmental issues. Includes
standards for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) (ISO 14001), environmental and EMS
auditing, environmental labeling, performance evaluation and life-cycle assessment. Compliance
results in ISO 14000 Certification. www.iso.ch
L
LC50: An LC50 value is the concentration of a specific material in the air that will kill 50% of the
test subjects (animals, usually) when administered as a single exposure (typically 1 or 4 hours)
under specified laboratory conditions. This value allows comparison of the relative toxicity of
different materials.
LCA: see life cycle assessment
LCI: see life cycle inventory
LEED™: see Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™): A point-based rating system
developed by The U.S. Green Building Council Rating System for Sustainable Development
(USGBC) to assess new and existing commercial buildings for a variety of earth-friendly features.
www.usgbc.org

Life cycle assessment (LCA): The comprehensive examination of a product's environmental
and economic effects and potential impacts throughout its lifetime including raw material
extraction, transportation, manufacturing, use and disposal. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf
(pages 14-15)
Life cycle cost: The amortized annual cost of a product, including capital costs, installation
costs, operating costs, maintenance costs and disposal costs discounted over the lifetime of the
product. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Life cycle inventory (LCI): The part of the LCA process that quantifies the energy, input of raw
material and releases of material into the environment that are associated with each stage of
production.

M
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): A document required by OSHA that contains information
about hazardous chemicals in the workplace in order to insure the safety and health of the user at
all stages of a material's manufacture, storage, use and disposal. www.osha.gov
MSDS: see Material Safety Data Sheet
N
NAAQS: see National Ambient Air Quality Standards
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS): Air quality standards required by the Clean
Air Act that monitors six pollutants, known as criteria pollutants, considered harmful to public
health and the environment. The Clean Air Act established two types of national air quality
standards: primary standards set limits to protect public health, including the health of sensitive
populations such as asthmatics, children and the elderly; and secondary standards set limits to
protect public welfare, including protection against decreased visibility, damage to animals, crops,
vegetation and buildings. The EPA sets and monitors the levels for these standards.
www.epa.gov
Nature Works™: Registered trademark owned by Cargill Dow LLC. www.cargilldow.com
Nonrenewable energy: An energy source, such as oil or natural gas, or a natural resource, such
as a metallic ore, that cannot be replenished or replaced after it has been used.
Nonpoint source pollution: (NPS pollution) Pollution caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving
over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and
human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and
underground sources of drinking water.
NPS pollution: see nonpoint source pollution
O

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The federal agency established in
1971, to ensure safe and healthful workplaces in the U.S. through leadership, enforcement,
outreach, education and compliance assistance. www.osha.gov
ODS: see ozone-depleting substance
Oeko-Tex: A European standard for the impact of textiles on human ecology and the
environment. www.oeko-tex.com
OERR: see Office of Emergency and Remedial Responses
Office of Emergency and Remedial Responses (OERR): see Superfund
Optimization: An act, process or methodology of making something (as a design, system, or
decision) as fully perfect, functional or effective as possible
OSHA: see Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Ozone: A bluish gas that is harmful to breathe. Nearly 90% of the Earth's ozone is in the
stratosphere and is referred to as the ozone layer. Ozone absorbs a band of ultraviolet radiation
called UVB that is particularly harmful to living organisms. The ozone layer prevents most UVB
from reaching the ground.
Ozone depleting substance (ODS): Substances that release chlorine or bromine atoms when
they break down which then deplete ozone. CFCs, HCFCs, halons, methyl bromide, carbon
tetrachloride and methyl chloroform are ODSs, which are generally very stable in the troposphere
and only degrade under intense ultraviolet light in the stratosphere.
P
Polylactic acid (PLA): A biodegradable thermoplastic derived from the lactic acid in corn;
resembles clear polystyrene. PLA can be used in a number of industrial products including
textiles.
Persistent bioaccumulative toxin (PBT): Chemicals that are toxic, persist in the environment
and bioaccumulate in food chains and therefore pose risks to human health and ecosystems.
PET: see polyethylene terephthalate
Photochemical oxidant potential: The release of harmful substances that react to form ground-
level ozone, resulting in vegetation damage and human health problems.
PLA: see polylactic acid
Plastic: Any of various organic compounds produced by polymerization, capable of being
molded, extruded, cast into various shapes and films or drawn into filaments used as textile
fibers.
NPS pollution: Pollution that originates from specific, known sources such as municipal and
industrial facilities, bypasses and overflows from municipal sewage systems, non-permitted and
illegal dischargers, and water that is generated through oil and gas operations.
Pollution prevention: Source reduction as defined in the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 13102), and other practices that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants through: (a)

increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water or other resources; or (b)
protection of natural resources by conservation. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET): A thermoplastic material that is clear, tough and has good
gas and moisture barrier properties. Used in soft drink bottles and other blow molded containers,
although sheet applications are increasing. Cleaned, recycled PET flakes and pellets are used in
some spinning fiber for carpet yarns, fiberfill and geo-textiles. Other applications include
strapping, molding compounds and both food and non-food containers.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): Synthetic thermoplastic polymer made from vinyl chloride. In addition
to its stable physical properties, PVC has excellent transparency, chemical resistance, long-term
stability, good weatherability, flow characteristics and stable electrical properties. However, its
stability makes it nearly environmentally indestructible. PVC also releases hydrochloric acid and
other toxic compounds when produced, used or burned.
Post-consumer: An adjective used to describe all or part of a consumer product that has
reached the end of its useful life in that form.
Post-consumer material: A material or finished product that has served its intended use and
has been discarded for disposal or recovery, having completed its life as a consumer item.
www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Post-consumer recycling: The recycling of materials generated from residential and consumer
waste for use in new or similar purposes, such as converting wastepaper from offices into
corrugated boxes or soda bottles into polyester fiber.
Post-industrial material: Recovered industrial and manufacturing materials that are diverted
from municipal solid waste for the purpose of collection, recycling and disposition. Post-industrial
materials are part of the broader category of recovered materials and include print overruns, over
issue publications and obsolete inventories.
Product stewardship: The responsible and ethical management of the health, safety and
environmental aspects of a product throughout its life cycle.
PVC: see polyvinyl chloride
R
R3™: Registered trademark owned by Valdese Weavers. www.valdeseweavers.com
RCRA: see Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Reclamation: The act of retrieving any material from a waste stream in order to save it from loss
and restore to usefulness.
Reclaimed polymer: synthetic waste from any source such as carpet, fabric, yarn or soda bottles
that are melted down and re-extruded.
Recovered materials: Waste materials and by-products which have been recovered or diverted
from solid waste, but the term does not include those materials and by-products generated from,
and commonly reused within, an original manufacturing process (42 U.S.C. 6903 (19)).
www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Recyclability: The ability of a product or material to be recovered from, or otherwise diverted
from, the solid waste stream for the purpose of recycling (FTC definition). www.ftc.gov

Recycled product: A product made in whole or part from material recovered from the waste
stream. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Recycling: The series of activities, including collection, separation and processing, by which
products or other materials are recovered from the solid waste stream. The products are then
used in the form of raw materials in the manufacture of new products, other than fuel for
producing heat or power by combustion. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Renewable: Capable of being replaced by natural ecological cycles or sound management
practices.
Renewable energy: energy derived from sources that do not become depleted such as the sun,
wind, oceans, rivers, eligible biomass and heat from the earth's interior.
Repreve™: Registered trademark owned by Unifi, Inc. www.unifi-inc.com
Reprocessed fiber: Fiber made from fabric which was never put into use.
ReSKU™: Trademark owned by Interface Fabric Group. www.ReSKU.net
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA): The federal statute that is an amendment
to the Solid Waste Disposal Act (of 1965). The four primary goals of RCRA are as follows:
protection of human health and the environment from potential hazards associated with
hazardous waste disposal; conservation of energy and natural resources; reduction of the amount
of hazardous waste generated; and enforcement of environmentally sound waste management
practices. Adopted by Congress in 1976.
Reusable: Capable of being used again after salvaging or special treatment or processing.
Reuse: see reusable
S
SARA: see Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
Sick Building Syndrome: Instances in which building occupants experience acute health and
discomfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or
cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be
widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term building related illness (BRI) is used
when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne
building contaminants. www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/sbs
6ix® Again Program: Registered trademark owned by the BASF Corporation. www.basf.com
Solid waste: Non-liquid, non-soluble materials from sources ranging from municipal garbage to
industrial wastes that may contain complex and hazardous substances. Solid wastes also include
sewage sludge, agricultural refuse, demolition wastes and mining residues. Technically, solid
waste also refers to liquids and gases in containers.
Source reduction: any practice: (a) reducing the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant
or contaminant entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment (including
fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment or disposal; and (b) reducing the hazards to the
public health and the environment associated with the release of such substances, pollutants or
contaminants. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)

Superfund: The U.S. government's federal program to clean up the nation's uncontrolled
hazardous waste sites. The EPA administers the Superfund program in cooperation with
individual states and tribal governments. The federal office that oversees management of the
program is the EPA Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR).
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA): Federal statute (of 1986) that
increased the size of the Superfund trust fund for cleanup activities and increased the authority of
the EPA in enforcement and cleanup activities. Title III of SARA is known as the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (see EPCRA).
Sustainable: Of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the
resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.
Sustainable development: That which meets the needs of the present generation without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (The United Nations
Brundtland Commission, 1987).
Sustainable practice: A practice (such as manufacturing) that maintains a given condition
without destroying or depleting natural resources.
Sustainable product: A product that has no negative impact on natural ecosystems or
resources.
Sustainable manufacturing: Manufacturing processes that have no negative impact on natural
ecosystems or resources.
Sustainability: The characteristic of a product, material or process to be sustainable.
T
TCLP: see Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure
Terephthalic acid: Para-phthalic acid, [C6H4(COOH2)]. a white crystalline water-insoluble
carboxylic acid used in making polyester resins, fibers and films by combination with glycols.
Teratogen: an agent that can cause malformations of an embryo or fetus. This can be a chemical
substance, a virus or ionizing radiation.
Terrestrial toxicity: the use or release of substances that have toxic impact on land species.
Terratex®: Registered trademark owned by Interface Fabrics Group. www.terratex.com
The Natural Step (TNS): An international organization founded in Sweden in 1989 that uses a
science-based, systems framework to help organizations, individuals and communities take steps
towards sustainability. www.naturalstep.org
Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ): The amount of an extremely hazardous substance present
at a facility above which the facility's owner/operator must give emergency planning notification to
local, state and federal emergency planning commissions.
TNS: see The Natural Step
Total Suspended Solids (TSS): TSS represents the total amount of solid matter in a
representative water sample that is retained on a membrane filter. It includes all sediment and

other constituents that are fluid suspended. A commonly used method for measuring water
pollution.
Toxic waste: If a threshold concentration of one of fourteen substances listed by RCRA is
present in an extract of a waste stream, the entire waste stream is classified as toxic waste and is
subject to regulation as a hazardous waste (under the RCRA definition, 40 CFR Part 261.24).
The list contains several synthetic organic chemicals and toxic metals such as lead, chromium
and mercury.
Toxic air pollutant: Poisonous substances in the air that come from natural sources (for
example, radon gas from the ground) or from manmade sources (for example, chemical
compounds given off by factory smokestacks) and can harm the environment or human health.
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI): An EPA database (available to the public) that contains
information on toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities reported annually
by certain covered industry groups and by federal facilities. This inventory was established under
the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and expanded by
the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): The federal statute (of 1976) that authorized the EPA to
track the 75,000 industrial chemicals currently produced or imported into the United States. EPA
repeatedly screens these chemicals and can require reporting or testing of those that may pose
an environmental or human-health hazard. EPA can ban the manufacture and import of
chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk.
Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP): A commonly used test for determining
the potential of certain metals and chemicals for their potential to leach out of an unlined disposal
site into groundwater at toxic levels; identified in RCRA, 40 CFR Part 261.
TPQ: see Threshold Planning Quantity
TRI: see Toxic Release Inventory
TSCA: see Toxic Substances Control Act
TSS: see Total Suspended Solids
U
UHW: see Universal Hazardous Waste
U.S. Green Building Council: A coalition of representatives from the building industry that
promotes buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and are healthful places to live
and work. www.usgbc.org
Universal Hazardous Waste (UHW): Certain hazardous, widely generated materials such as
batteries, pesticides and thermostats. The EPA adopted the Universal Waste Rule (1993), which
amended the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations in order to allow for
streamlined management of this category of hazardous wastes (58 FR 9346).
V
VOC: see Volatile Organic Compound

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC): Any compound that contains carbon and becomes a gas at
room temperature. VOC emissions are regulated because they contribute to smog formation. The
most common sources of VOC emissions are from storage and use of liquid and gaseous fuels,
the storage and use of solvents and the combustion of fuels and can include housekeeping and
maintenance products and building and furnishing materials. In sufficient quantities VOC
emissions can cause eye, nose, and throat irritations, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders,
memory impairment; some are known animal carcinogens; some are suspected or known human
carcinogens.
W
Waste prevention: Any change in the design, manufacturing, purchase or use of materials or
products (including packaging) to reduce their amount or toxicity before they are discarded.
Waste prevention also refers to the reuse of products or materials. www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf
(pages 14-15)
Waste reduction: Preventing or decreasing the amount of waste being generated through waste
prevention, recycling or purchasing recycled and environmentally preferable products.
www.ofee.gov/eo/greening.pdf (pages 14-15)
Wastewater: Water carrying dissolved or suspended solids from homes, farms, businesses and
industries.
WBCSD: see World Business Council for Sustainable Development
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): A coalition of 160
international companies chartered to promote sustainable development through economic
growth, ecological balance and social progress. www.wbcsd.ch
X
Xorel®: Registered trademark owned by Carnegie Fabrics. www.carnegiefabrics.com