We Are Committed To Solving This Problem
HELP US PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Glossary and Definitions
Glossary | |
| Terms that are on use on this site. | |
| You can always search for entries (regexp permitted). | |
|
Submit Term | |
| All | |
| There are 7 entries in the glossary. | |
| Pages: 1 | |
| Term | Definition |
| Carcinogen | The definition of carcinogen refers to any substance, radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of cancer or in the facilitation of its propagation. This may be due to ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substances are considered carcinogens, but their carcinogenic activity is attributed to the radiation, for example gamma rays and alpha particles, which they emit. Common examples of carcinogens are, inhaled asbestos, certain dioxins, and tobacco smoke. Carcinogens are also hazardous materials found inside e-waste which is electronic equipment. |
| E-waste | The Definition and meaning of "Electronic waste" includes all secondary computers, entertainment devices electronics, mobile phones and other electronic devices, whether they have been sold, donated, or discarded by their original owner. The defintion of E-waste includes used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling or disposal. Others define the reusable (working and repairable electronics) and secondary scrap (copper, steel, plastic, etc.) to be "commodities", and reserve the use of the term "waste" for residue or material which was represented as working or repairable but which was discarded by the buyer. Debate continues over the distinction between "commodity" and "waste" electronics definitions. Some exporters may deliberately leave obsolete or non-working equipment mixed in loads of working equipment (through ignorance, or to avoid more costly treatment processes for 'bad' equipment). On the other hand, some importing countries specifically seek to exclude working or repairable equipment in order to protect domestic manufacturing markets. "White box" computers ('off-brand' or 'no name' computers) are often assembled by smaller scale manufacturers utilizing refurbished components. These 'white box' sales accounted for approximately 45% of all computer sales worldwide by 2004, and are considered a threat to some large manufacturers, who therefore seek to classify used computers as 'waste'. While a protectionist may broaden the definition of "waste" electronics, the high value of working and reusable laptops, computers, and components (e.g. RAM), can help pay the cost of transportation for a large number of worthless "commodities". Broken monitors, obsolete circuit boards, short circuited transistors, and other junk are difficult to spot in a containerload of used electronics. Until such time as equipment no longer contains such hazardous substances, the disposal and recycling operations must be undertaken with great care to avoid damaging pollution and workplace hazards, and exports need to be monitored to avoid "toxics along for the ride". |
| EPA | The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and with safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land. The EPA began operation on December 2, 1970, when it was established by President Richard Nixon, and has since been chiefly responsible for the environmental policy of the United States. It is led by its Administrator, who is appointed by the President of the United States. The EPA is not a Cabinet agency, but the Administrator is normally given cabinet rank. |
| Hazardous Waste | A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment and generally exhibits one or more of these characteristics including ignitable, oxidizing, corrosivity, toxic, radioactive, eco-toxic, and explosive. Environmental Laws in the United States define "hazardous waste" being in solid form, not gas, that has the ability between the two definitions below to pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed. Secondly, if it meets to cause, or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality (death) or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible illness. |
| ISO 14001 | ISO 14001 is the standard against which organizations are assessed. ISO 14001 is generic and flexible enough to apply to any organization producing and/or manufacturing any product, or even providing a service anywhere in the world. ISO 14001 is the international specification for an environmental management system (EMS). It specifies requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining environmental aspects and impacts of products/activities/services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation and operation of programs to meet objectives and targets, checking and corrective action, and management review. eCycling.com meets the requirements for ISO 14001. |
| Resource Conservation and Recovery Act | The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enacted in 1976, is a Federal law of the United States contained in 42 U.S.C. §§6901-6992k. This environmental law is usually pronounced as "rick-rah" or "Wreck-rah." The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that RCRA's goals are to to clean up spilled or improperly stored wastes, to encourage reuse, reduction, and recycling, and to protect the public from harm caused by waste disposal. |
| Toxic Waste | Toxic waste is waste material or substance, often in chemical form more than you would thing, that can cause death or injury to living creatures and all forms of wildlife. Toxic waster usually is the product of industry or commerce, but comes also from residential use, agriculture, the military, medical facilities, radioactive sources, and light industry, such as dry cleaning establishments. As with many pollution problems, toxic waste began to be a significant issue during the industrial revolution. The term is often used interchangeably with “hazardous waste,” or discarded material that can pose a long-term risk to health or environment. Toxins can be released into air, water, or land which has substantial damaging effects to our environment in which we live. Here are the top 10 most toxic substances accoording to the CDC 1. ARSENIC 2. LEAD 3. MERCURY 4. VINYL CHLORIDE 5. POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS 6. BENZENE 7. POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS 8. CADMIUM 9. BENZO(A)PYRENE 10 BENZO(B)FLUORANTHENE |
| Glossary V2.0 | |