glossary
We use a lot of specific terminology when discussing our campaigns. Use this glossary as a guide to better understanding the work we do at TCE Fund. Clicking the letters below will load commonly-used words. If you can't find the information you're looking for contact us.
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
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| Acute Toxicity | ifas.ufl.edu | |
| The quality or potential of a substance to cause injury or illness shortly after exposure to a relatively large dose. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Advance Recycling Fee | ARF | TCE |
| An Advance Recycling Fee system usually refers to a system in which consumers pay a flat fee when they buy a products that goes into a fund to recycle and dispose of that class of product. This is an alternative to a producer takeback recycling system in which producers must take back their products and internalize the cost of the end of life into the cost of the products. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Antimony | wikipedia | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Antimony is a chemical element used in flame-proofing objects. | ||
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B | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Ban Amendment | Basel Action Network | |
| Longer Description | ||
| The Basel Ban decision effectively banned as of 1 January 1998, all forms of hazardous waste exports from the 29 wealthiest most industrialized countries of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to all non-OECD countries. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Basel Convention | BAN | |
| Longer Description | ||
| The International Treaty that severely restricts hazardous waste shipments from developed nations to developing nations. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Bioaccumulation | great-lakes.net | |
| Longer Description | ||
| The accumulation by organisms of contaminants through ingestion or contact with skin or respiratory tissue. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Brominated flame-retardants | BFR | Bromine Science and Environmental Forum |
| Longer Description | ||
| Brominated flame-retardants are a family of chemicals, similar to now-banned polychlorinated biphenyls, which are widely used as fire retardants in consumer products. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Buffer Zone | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| The distance between where the trash is placed and surrounding property owners. | ||
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C | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Cadmium | lcbp.ORG and waterfiltercomparisons.com | |
| Longer Description | ||
| A heavy metal that accumulates in the environment. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Carcenogenic | wikipedia | |
| In pathology, a carcinogen is any substance or agent that promotes cancer. Carcinogens are also often, but not necessarily, mutagens or teratogens. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Chapter 305 | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Chapter of state rules that govern what type of permit is required for changes at MSW landfills. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Chapter 330 | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Chapter of state rules that include requirements for operations at MSW landfills. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Chronic Toxicity | LCBP.org | |
| The capacity of a substance to cause long-term poisonous health effects in humans, animals, fish, and other organisms. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Computer TakeBack Campaign | CTBC | TCE |
| Longer Description | ||
| The Computer TakeBack Campaign (CTBC) is a national campaign in the US to press for extended producer responsibility for electronics. | ||
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D | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Decabromodiphenyl Oxide | Deca- BDE | Bromine Science and Environmental Forum Website |
| A type of Brominated Flame Retardant used for high impactpolystyrene (electronic equipment), polythylenes (wire and cables of electronic equipment), upholstery textiles, building and construction applications. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Dioxins | spaceforspecies.ca and sustainabletable.org | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Highly toxic aromatic compounds that are produced as industrial by-products.
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E | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Electronic Industry Code of Conduct | EICC | TCE |
| Longer Description | ||
| A joint code of conduct that electronics producers/brand-owners (OEMs) have developed for their suppliers. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Extended Producer Responsibility | EPR | wikipedia |
| Longer Description | ||
| Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a strategy designed to promote the integration of environmental costs associated with products throughout their life cycles into the market price of the products (OECD 1999). | ||
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F | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Furan | wikipedia | |
| Longer Description | ||
| From the Dioxin family. | ||
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G | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Green Chemistry | wikipedia | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Green Chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. | ||
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H | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| House Bill 1609 | TCE | |
| Legislation passed at the very end of the regular session of the Texas Legislature in 2005 that did away with the requirement to hold a public meeting for new landfills, other trash facilities, hazardous waste facilities and construction on closed landfills. | ||
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I | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Individual Producer Responsibility | IPR | TCE |
| Refers to a producer takeback policy in which companies are responsible individually for their own products, instead of industry-wide responsibility for products. | ||
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L | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Leaching | MBHS.edu | |
| The process by which soluble materials in the soil, such as salts, nutrients, pesticide chemicals or contaminants, are washed into a lower layer of soil or are dissolved and carried away by water.
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M | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| MSW landfill | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Municipal Solid Waste landfill. A landfill that primarily takes household garbage. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Mutagenic | wikipedia | |
| Longer Description | ||
| In biology, a mutagen (Latin, literally origin of change) is an agent that changes the genetic information (usually DNA) of an organism and thus increases the number of mutations above the natural background level. | ||
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N | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| National Recycling Coalition | NRC | TCE |
| A membership organization of recycling professionals and advocates dedicated to maximizing recycling. However, because the organization relies on substantial corporate support, often does not advocate for the most progressive recycling policies. | ||
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O | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Octabromodiphenyl Oxide | Octa- BDE | Bromine Science and Environmental Forum Website |
| Longer Description | ||
| A type of Brominated Flame Retardent used for ABS plastics (PC monitors, housings for televisions, mobile phones, and copy machine parts). | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Office of Public Interest Counsel or OPIC | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Office at the TCEQ that watches over public concern and legal issues regarding the public. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Original Equipment Manufacturer | OEM | TCE |
| Original equipment manufacturers in the electronic sector are the producers or brand-owners of products, for instance Dell, Apple, HP, Sony. | ||
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P | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Pentabromodiphenyl Oxide | Penta- Oxide | Bromine Science and Environmental Forum Website |
| A type of Brominated Flame Retardant used for polyurethane foam, mattresses, seat cushions, upholstered furniture, carpet underlay, and bedding. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Permit Amendment | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| A type of permit for major changes at a landfill. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Permit Modification | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| A type of permit for minor changes at a landfill. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Polychlorinated biphenyls | PCBs | Global-pollution.com |
| Longer Description | ||
| Polychlorinated biphenyls are colorless, odorless crystals that are used as additives. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Polyvinyl chloride | PVC | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Polyvinyl chloride is a cholinated plastic used in wiring and cabling. When PVC is produced and when it is burned or incinerated can produced deadly dioxins and furans. Heavy metals can be released from stabilizers in PVC if incinerated or burned. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Pre-Subtitle D | TCE | |
| Longer Description | ||
| Many landfills operating today, have older, pre-Subtitle D sections that are not lined or monitored. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Precautionary Principle | wikipedia | |
| Longer Description | ||
| An ethical theory which concludes not to carry out any action that might pose a risk. | ||
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R | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals | REACH | |
| Longer Description | ||
| A proposed new European Union chemicals policy requires manufacturers and users to provide information on the potential health risks posed by all chemicals available commercially in quantities of more than one ton per year. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Restriction of Hazardous Substances | ROHS | Arrow.com |
| Longer Description | ||
| Restriction on the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical or electronic equipment sold or used in the European Union after July 1, 2006. | ||
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S | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition | SVTC | SVTC |
| Longer Description | ||
| Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) is a diverse grassroots coalition that engages in research, advocacy, and organizing around the environmental and human health problems caused by the rapid growth of the high-tech electronics industry. SVTC is a lead organization on the Computer TakeBack Campaign. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Site Operating Plans | SOPs | TCE |
| Part of the Chapter 330 rules that detail how landfill operators deal with problems such as windblown waste, odors, etc. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Solder | Appaltree.net | |
| Solders are alloys containing a mixture of lead, copper, zinc, silver, or other metals. Soldering is used to attach two closely-fitting objects. It is most often used to plumb copper pipe to plumbing fixtures and connect electrical wires and components. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Substitution Principle | wikipedia | |
| The substitution principle is focussed on the substitution of a product or service or process to another that will have a less negative impact on the environment while retaining the functionality of the same. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Subtitle D | TCE | |
| Laws passed in Texas in 1993 to meet with federal standards to line and monitor methane gas and ground water at landfills. All new landfills permitted in Texas must meet Subtitle D guidelines. | ||
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T | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Teratogenic | ccohs.ca | |
| Teratogenicity is the ability of a chemical to cause birth defects. Teratogenicity results from a harmful effect to the embryo or the fetus/foetus. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | TCEQ | TCE |
| The state environmental agency, formerly, the TNRCC. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission | TNRCC | TCE |
| Old name of the TCEQ or Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| The European Union | EU | UNEP |
| The European Union--previously known as the European Community, created after World War II to unite the nations of Europe economically to avoid another war --is an institutional framework of 25 countries, sharing the common institutions and policies, for the construction of a united Europe. | ||
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W | ||
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| Term | Acronym | Source |
| Waste electrical and electrical equipment | WEEE | Wikipedia |
| WEEE is the European Community directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment which, together with the RoHS Directive, became European Law in February 2003, setting collection, recycling and recovery targets for all types of electrical goods. | ||
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