Glossary
This section contains definitions that will help you understand technical and environmental terms used throughout this site as well as in the links provided. Use the index below to help you navigate through the terms. The definitions below have been compiled through numerous governmental and non-governmental sources.
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- (4-Chlorophenyl)cyclopropylmethanone,O-[(4-nitrophenyl)methyl]oxime
- 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
- 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethene
- 1,1,2,3,4,4-Hexachlorobuta-1,3-diene
- 1,1,2-Trichloroethene
- 1,2-Dichloroethane
- 1,3-Butadiene
- 2-Butoxyethanol
- 2-Methoxyethanol
- 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine
A
- Abiotic
- Accountability
- Acetaldehyde
- Acid mine drainage
- Acid rain
- Acraldehyde
- Acrolein
- Acrylaldehyde
- Acrylonitrile
- Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change
- Acute exposure
- Acute toxicity
- Adsorption
- AFV
- Air pollutant
- Air pollution
- Air quality
- Algae
- Alkali
- Alternative energy
- Alternative fuel vehicle
- Alternative transportation fuel
- Ammonia (dissovled in water)
- Ammonium hydroxide
- Anthropogenic source
- Aquatic ecosystem
- Arid
- Asbestos
- Atmosphere
- Atmospheric water
B
- Benzene
- Benzidine
- Benzidine dihydrochloride
- Best practices
- Bi-fuel vehicle
- Bioaccumulation
- Biodegradable
- Biological diversity
- Biomagnification
- Biosphere
- Biota
- Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
- Bis(chloromethyl) ether
- Bog
- Boundary water
- Bromochlorodifluoromethane
- Bromochloromethane
- Bromofluorocarbons
- Bromotrifluoromethane
C
- Cadmium
- Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
- Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
- Carbon dioxide
- Carbon monoxide
- Carbon tetrachloride
- Carcinogen
- CCME
- CDM
- CEPA 1999
- CFC
- Chlorinated wastewater effluents
- Chloro(methoxy)methane
- Chlorobiphenyls
- Chloroethene
- Chlorofluorocarbon
- Chloromethyl methyl ether
- Chronic exposure
- Chronic toxicity
- Clean Development Mechanism
- Cleaner production
- Climate
- Climate change
- Climate Change Plan for Canada
- CO
- CO2
- CO2 equivalent
- Coliform bacteria
- Combined sewers
- Commuter options
- Compliance
- Composting
- Conservation
- Contaminant
- Contaminated site
- Creosote-impregnated waste materials from creosote-contaminated sites
D
- DCM
- Dental amalgam
- Design for Environment
- DfE
- Dibenzo-para-dioxin
- Dibenzofuran
- Dibromotetrafluoroethane
- Dichloromethane
- Dioxin
- Diphenyl-4,4'-diamine
- Direct emissions
- Discharge
- Disposal
- Diversion
- Dodecachloropentacyclo [5.3.0.02.6.03.9.04.8] decane
- Due diligence
- Dump
- Dynamic efficiency
E
- E10 (Gasoline)
- E85 (Gasoline)
- EC
- Eco-efficiency
- Ecological Approach
- Ecological footprint
- EcoLogoM
- Ecology
- Ecosystem
- Effluent
- Effluents from pulp mills using bleaching
- Effluents from textile mills that use wet processing
- Emission permit
- Emissions
- Emissions trading
- Employee awareness
- EMS
- End-of-Pipe
- Energy
- Energy audits
- Energy consumption
- Energy efficiency
- Energy efficiency retrofits
- Energy Star
- Environment
- Environment Canada
- Environmental assessment
- Environmental audit
- Environmental Choice Program
- Environmental Emergency Plan
- Environmental Management System
- Environmental monitoring
- Environmental Performance Agreement
- Environmentally responsible procurement
- EPA
- EPR
- Erosion
- Estuary
- Ethanal
- Ethanol
- Ethylene dichloride
- Ethylene oxide
- Extended Producer Responsibility
F
- Federal House in Order
- FHIO
- Flex-fuel vehicle
- Formaldehyde
- Fossil fuels
- Four R's
- Freshwater
- Fuel
- Fuel cell
- Fuel consumption
G
- Gaseous ammonia
- GGO
- GHG
- Glacier
- Global warming
- Green power
- Green procurement
- Greenhouse effect
- Greenhouse gas
- Greening Government Operations
- Ground-level ozone
- Groundwater
H
- Habitat
- Halon (also known as halocarbon)
- Halon-1011
- Halon-1211
- Halon-1301
- Halon-2402
- Hazardous substance
- Hazardous waste
- HCB
- HCBD
- HCFC
- Heavy metals
- Hexachlorobenzene
- Hexachlorobuta-1,3-diene
- Hexachlorobutadiene
- Hexavalent chromium compounds
- HFC
- HVAC
- Hybrid vehicle
- Hydrobromofluorocarbon
- Hydrocarbons
- Hydrochlorofluorocarbon
- Hydroelectricity
- Hydrofluorocarbons
- Hydrologic cycle
- Hydrology
I
- Incineration
- Indirect emissions
- Industrial ecology
- Infiltration
- Inorganic
- Inorganic arsenic compounds
- Inorganic cadmium compounds
- Inorganic chloramines
- Inorganic fluorides
- Integrated pest management
- Integrated resource management
- Irrigation
- ISO 14000
K
L
- Landfill
- Landfill gas
- LCA
- LCM
- Lead
- Lean manufacturing
- Liability
- Life-Cycle Analysis
- Life-Cycle Assessment
- Life-Cycle Management
- Low impact renewable energy
M
- Marsh
- Mercury
- Methanal
- Methane
- Methyl bromide
- Methyl chloroform
- Methylene dichloride
- Methylmercury
- Mirex
- Mitigation
- Molecule
N
- N-Nitrosodimethylamine
- N2O
- Natural resources
- NDMA
- Nitric oxide
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Nitrogen oxides
- Nitrous oxide
- NO2
- NOx
- Non-point sources
- Non-renewable
- Non-renewable resources
- Nonylphenol and its ethoxylates
- NPE
O
- ODP
- ODS
- One Tonne Challenge
- Organic
- Organic wastes
- Oxidic, sulphidic, and soluble inorganic nickel compounds
- Ozone
- Ozone depleting substances
- Ozone depletion
- Ozone depletion potential
- Ozone layer
P
- P2
- Packaging
- PAH
- Particulate matter
- Particulate matter containing metals that is released in emissions from copper smelters or refineries, or from both
- Particulate matter containing metals that is released in emissions from zinc plants
- Parts Per Million
- Passive Solar Design
- PBB
- PCB
- PCE
- PCT
- Pentachlorobenzene
- PERC
- Perchloroethylene
- Performance information
- Pest
- Pesticides
- Pollutant
- Polluter Pays Principle
- Pollution
- Pollution control
- Pollution Prevention
- Pollution Prevention Planning
- Polybrominated biphenyls
- Polybrominated biphenyls
- Polychlorinated biphenyls
- Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins
- Polychlorinated dibenzofurans and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins
- Polychlorinated terphenyls
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- Post-consumer material
- PPM
- Primary wastewater treatment
- Product life cycle
- Product stewardship
- Production efficiency
- Prop-2-enal
- Prop-2-enenitrile
- Propenal
Q
R
- Recover
- Recyclable
- Recycling
- Reduce
- Refractory ceramic fibre
- Regulatory measures
- Release
- Renewable energy
- Renewable resource
- Resource recovery
- Respirable particulate matter less than or equal to 10 microns
- Retrofit
- Reuse
- Risk
- Risk assessment
- Risk management
S
- Sanitary landfill
- Sanitary sewers
- SD
- SDS
- Secondary wastewater treatment
- Sediments
- Septic tank
- Sequestration
- Sewage system
- Sewer
- Sink
- Sites
- Small- and medium-sized enterprises
- SME
- Smog
- SO2
- SOx
- Solar energy
- Solid waste
- Solvent
- Source
- Source reduction
- Spill
- Stakeholder
- Stewardship
- Storm sewer
- Stratosphere
- Stream
- Streamflow
- Sulphur dioxide
- Sulphur hexafluoride
- Sulphur oxides
- Surface water
- Sustainability
- Sustainable consumption
- Sustainable development
- Sustainable Development Strategy
- Sustainable transportation
T
- TCE
- TeCB
- Tertiary wastewater treatment
- Tetrachlorobenzenes
- Tetrachloroethylene
- Tetrachloromethane
- Toxic
- Toxic substances - water
- Toxicity
- Toxics Management Process
- Transboundary pollutants
- Tributyltetradecylphosphonium chloride
- Trichloroethene
- Trichloroethylene
- Troposphere
U
V
W
- Waste
- Waste exchange
- Waste reduction programs
- Wastewater
- Wastewater treatment plant
- Water conservation
- Water contamination
- Water management
- Water pollution
- Water quality
- Water quality guidelines
- Water supply system
- Water treatment
- Wind energy
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