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Defined Terms

 

Allergen: any substance that causes an allergic reaction.

 

Brownfield: a former industrial or commercial site where future use is affected by real or perceived environmental contamination.

 

Carbon Dioxide Emissions: the burning of fossil fuels, like natural gas, crude oil and coal.

 

Chemical Vapor: barely visible or cloudy diffused matter, such as mist, fumes, or smoke, suspended in the air.

 

Combined Sewer System: a system that collects sanitary sewage and stormwater runoff in a single pipe system.

 

Evaporate: to change from a liquid into a gas.

 

Ground Level Ozone:  ozone present as a secondary pollutant in the lower atmosphere, where its formation can be enhanced by other pollutants.

 

Hazardous Waste: a solid waste, or combination of solid waste, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may (a) cause, or significantly contribute to, an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or (b) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed. 

 

Impervious: not allowing fluid to pass through.

 

Integrated Pest Management: an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices.

 

Nitrogen Oxides: a family of poisonous, highly reactive gases. These gases form when fuel is burned at high temperatures.

 

Pervious: allowing water to pass through.

 

r95 Respirator: an apparatus worn over the mouth and nose or the entire face to prevent the inhalation of dust, smoke, or other noxious substances. r95 Filters at least 95% of airborne particles and is somewhat resistant to oil.

 

Smog: fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants.

 

Soot: a black powdery or flaky substance consisting largely of amorphous carbon, produced by the incomplete burning of organic matter.

 

Surface Runoff: when soil has absorbed water to its full capacity and excess water, from rain, snowmelt, or other sources flow over the land.

 

Toxic Release Inventory (TRI): a database that contains specifictoxic chemical release, transfer, waste management and pollution prevention activities from manufacturing facilities throughout the United States.

 

Urban-Dwelling: people who live in an urban environment, such as a city.

 

Vent: to allow (something, such as smoke or gas) to go out through an opening.

 

Volatile Organic Compounds: Volatile is a substance that is easily evaporated at normal temperatures. Volatile Organic Compounds are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature. 

 

Wastewater: Water that has been used, as for washing, flushing, or in a manufacturing process, and so contains waste products; sewage.

 

Watershed: a watershed is an area of land within which water from rain or snow drains into a body of water, such as a river, lake or ocean.

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