Green Word A Day » environmental toxins

WEEE

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:00:02 +0000

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) is the European Community directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment which places the responsibility for disposal on the manufacturer of the equipment.

Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:21:41 +0000

An accounting of the energy and waste associated with the creation of a new product through use and disposal.

Pete – polyethylene terephthalate

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:44:19 +0000

A strong, shatter-resistant recyclable plastic that is inexpensive to produce. It is made into bottles for soda, water…

May be recycled into fleece, clothing, fiberfill…

PETE is lightweight and poses a low risk of leaching toxic chemicals into contents. It’s petroleum-based.

Bake-out

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:57:27 +0000

Process by which a building is heated in an attempt to accelerate VOC emissions from furniture and materials.

Bioremediation

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:17:13 +0000

The cleanup of a contaminated site using biological methods, i.e., bacteria, fungi, plants, etc.

Organisms are used to either break down contaminants in soil or water, or accumulate the contaminants in their tissue for disposal.

Runoff

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:15:43 +0000

The waste water that flows from our gardens, lawns, driveways, and streets into our sewer systems carries various pollutants, including fertilizers and pesticides from our yards that eventually finds its way into our rivers and oceans.

Electrosmog

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:23:39 +0000

The invisible electromagnetic radiation resulting from the use of both wireless technology and mains electricity.

The most common sources of wireless electrosmog are:

Cordless phones
Cordless baby alarms
Mobile/cellular phone masts/towers/transmitters
Mobile/cellular phones

Greywater

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:25:44 +0000

Wastewater generated from domestic activities such as dish washing, laundry and bathing. Greywater comprises 50-80% of residential wastewater generated from all of the house’s sanitation equipment except for the toilets.

BRI- Building Related Illness

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:52:06 +0000

Illnesses caused by toxic off-gassing from building materials or molds, bacteria, etc. that can accumulate in HVAC systems and carpeting.

Blackwater

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:18:52 +0000

The wastewater generated by toilets.