Environmental Science & Engineering – Core Vocabulary

Essential vocabulary terms derived from lecture notes on environmental science, engineering, pollutants, and standards.

The sum of all external conditions and influences affecting the life and development of organisms, including natural forces and other living things.

Environment

Interdisciplinary field that studies air, water, soil, living organisms, and their interactions, including social and cultural impacts on the environment.

Environmental Science

Application of mathematics and science to design technologies that protect environmental components and improve public health.

Environmental Engineering

Overall condition of environmental factors, interpreted through indicators or standards reflecting suitability for healthy living.

Environmental Quality

Benchmark levels for environmental factors (air, water, soil, noise, light) used to guide policies and regulations toward sustainability.

Environmental Quality Standards

Measurement of critical environmental parameters to ensure they remain within standards and to guide corrective actions.

Environmental Quality Monitoring

All water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, glaciers, and atmospheric moisture.

Hydrosphere

Gaseous layer enveloping Earth, composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen and divided into layers such as troposphere and stratosphere.

Atmosphere

Life-supporting zone of Earth where living organisms exist and interact with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere.

Biosphere

Earth’s rigid outer layer of crust and upper mantle forming tectonic plates.

Lithosphere

All discarded household, commercial, non-hazardous institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris, and agricultural waste.

Solid Waste

Mixed, non-sorted household solid waste including recyclables, litter, and community trash.

Refuse

Wastes produced from activities within local government units, encompassing garbage and rubbish.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

By-products or residues possessing ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity that pose substantial hazards to health or environment.

Hazardous Waste

Characteristic of a waste that can readily catch fire or has a flash point below 60 °C.

Ignitability

Property of a waste with pH ≤ 2 or ≥ 12 that can corrode metals or tissue.

Corrosivity

Tendency of a waste to undergo violent chemical reactions, explode, or release toxic gases.

Reactivity

Ability of a substance to cause harmful effects or death when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed.

Toxicity (hazardous waste)

Hazardous wastes specifically identified by regulatory lists (F, K, P, U, D) based on origin or toxicity.

Listed Wastes

‘Non-specific source’ wastes from common manufacturing processes such as solvents.

F-List

Source-specific waste streams from particular industries like pesticide manufacturing.

K-List

Discarded commercial chemical products that are acutely toxic; 239 substances.

P-List

Toxic discarded commercial chemical products that are not acutely toxic like P-list items.

U-List

Wastes not on F, K, P, or U lists but exhibiting hazardous characteristics.

D-List

Waste possessing both radioactive and hazardous characteristics.

Mixed Waste

Widely generated hazardous items (e.g., batteries, lamps) regulated under simplified rules.

Universal Waste

All waste generated by healthcare facilities; majority general, remainder infectious, pathological, sharps, or pharmaceutical.

Health Care Waste (HCW)

Healthcare waste suspected to contain pathogens capable of causing disease.

Infectious Waste

Tissues, organs, body parts, blood, and body fluids removed during surgery or autopsy.

Pathological Waste

Items capable of cutting or puncturing (needles, blades, broken glass) requiring special handling.

Sharps

Expired, unused, or contaminated drugs and vaccines requiring specialized disposal.

Pharmaceutical Waste

Numbered symbol (1–7) identifying polymer type to guide recycling.

Plastic Resin Identification Code

Polyethylene terephthalate; common in beverage bottles; recyclable.

PETE (Code 1)

High-density polyethylene used for milk jugs and detergent bottles; recyclable.

HDPE (Code 2)

Polyvinyl chloride; used in pipes and vinyl products; generally non-recyclable in curbside programs.

PVC (Code 3)

Low-density polyethylene; found in plastic films and squeeze bottles; sometimes recyclable.

LDPE (Code 4)

Polypropylene; used in yogurt containers and straws; recyclable in some areas.

PP (Code 5)

Polystyrene; includes foam products and disposable cups; typically non-recyclable.

PS (Code 6)

Substance emitted directly into the atmosphere in the same form as produced (e.g., SO₂, NO₂, CO).

Primary Air Pollutant

Pollutant formed in the atmosphere through reactions among primary pollutants or natural components (e.g., ozone, smog).

Secondary Air Pollutant

Brownish haze formed when sunlight drives reactions between NOx and VOCs, producing ozone and other irritants.

Photochemical Smog

Pollution dominated by sulfur oxides and particulates, historically associated with coal burning.

Industrial (Gray) Smog

Atmospheric gas that traps infrared radiation, contributing to global warming (e.g., CO₂, CH₄, N₂O).

Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

Degradation of water quality by processes that raise or lower ambient water temperature, reducing dissolved oxygen.

Thermal Pollution

Radiation with enough energy to remove electrons from atoms, creating ions (e.g., alpha, beta, gamma, neutrons).

Ionizing Radiation

Least penetrating ionizing radiation consisting of two protons and two neutrons; hazardous if ingested or inhaled.

Alpha Radiation

Fast-moving electrons emitted from nucleus; more penetrating than alpha but stopped by plastic or glass.

Beta Radiation

High-energy electromagnetic waves; highly penetrating and requires dense shielding like lead or concrete.

Gamma Radiation

Neutral particles ejected during nuclear reactions; deeply penetrating and absorbed by hydrogen-rich materials.

Neutron Radiation

Unwanted or harmful sound exceeding healthy levels (generally > 85 dB) causing stress or hearing loss.

Noise Pollution