Alternative Energy:  Renewable and non-renewable energy gained from resources that are alternatives to fossil fuels.  

Available locally:  Means that one or more businesses in the same municipality or ones close-by can provide goods and services in a timely manner and in sufficient quantity to meet a specific need.  

Best Management Practices (BMPs):  Usually based on an approach or technology that has been shown to be effective for the purpose intended. The U.S. EPA uses BMPs to specify standards of practice where a regulation may not be descriptive enough to do so. A BMP should be as inexpensive as possible and any necessary equipment or technology should be readily available. BMPs are good practices that have worked well elsewhere in a similar situation.

Bioaccumulative: chemicals that can be stored in the fat cells of animals and humans and bioaccumulate and become concentrated as you go up the food chain. This term applies to those chemicals described in the Significant New Use Rule for new chemicals. (40 CFR 721.3.)

Biobased Product:  A commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) that utilizes biological products or renewable domestic agricultural (plant, animal and marine) or forestry materials, including fiber crops (i.e. hemp or cotton), chemical extracts from oilseeds, nets, fruits and vegetables, agricultural residues such as wheat straw and corn stover and wood wastes generated from processing and manufacturing operations. 

Biodegradable:  The ability of a material to be broken down into simpler compounds by microorganisms or other decomposers. Many different definitions of and tests for biodegradability exist depending on the solution or product. Definitions and tests are available from the US EPA.

Chain-of-Custody:  The verification process along the wood products supply chain, from harvest to sale, that distinguishes certified from non-certified wood.   

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC):  The family of compounds of chlorine, fluorine and carbon. CFCs have been used as an ingredient for refrigerants, solvents and in the manufacturing of plastic-foam insulation and packaging. CFCs contribute to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer and have been banned by most industrial countries according to the Montreal Protocol.    

Climate Change:  Climate change represents a change in the long-term average weather patterns of a region. Based on the change, climates can become warmer or colder, and annual amounts of rainfall or snowfall can increase or decrease. (Also see Global Warming)

Commissioning:  Building commissioning is a form of “systems check” for the facility that should begin during the design phase to assure the design intent carries the specifications through to the construction phase to verify that key building systems perform properly at the highest level of efficiency and comfort. This practice is especially important for potential Green Buildings and is also often done in Performance Contracting.

Corrosivity:  Dermal corrosion is defined by the US EPA as the production of irreversible tissue damage in the skin following application of a test substance either very acidic or very basic (pH < 2 or > 12.5). 

Dioxin:  Any of a family of chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons also known as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs). They are some of the most toxic anthropogenic (resulting from human activity) chemicals known. Known carcinogens, they are released during the manufacture of PVC and during the bleaching of paper products; are contaminants of many chemical products; a by-product in herbicide manufacture; and implicated as a contaminant of the herbicide known as Agent Orange used as a defoliant during the Vietnam War. Identified by U.S. EPA as persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic pollutant.  

Durability:  Refers to the expected lifetime of the product. The ability of a product to continue to be reused, without significant degradation, for its intended purpose for a greater period than the average useful product life-span of other similar products.

Elemental chlorine free (ECF):  Paper made with a derivative of chlorine such as chlorine dioxide but without elemental chlorine (chlorine gas). By using ECF processes, a manufacturer can reduce dioxin emissions by 80-90%.

End Market:  The user of diverted material that has been returned to the marketplace as a feedstock or raw material.

Energy efficiency:  Refers to products that meet or exceed the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/Federal Energy Management Program’s product energy efficiency recommendations which identify the top 25 percent of energy efficiency for all similar products or that meet the energy efficiency criteria of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)/DOE Energy Star program.

Environmental / Eco-Labeling:  Any printed label on a package or product that provides environmental information regarding some attribute of the product from its life cycle, from resource extraction to final disposal, including attributes such as recycled content, reduced packaging, non-toxic, etc. Good, meaningful labels must be substantiated to avoid false claims or “greenwashing”, which is intentionally designed to confuse the buyer. An example of a good, meaningful seal is that from the Green Seal organization. “Cruelty free” is an example of a label that is not meaningful; it has no certifying organization or criteria behind it and there is no check system to verify the claim. See the Eco-label Informational Guide.   

Environmental Management System (EMS):  A set of management processes and procedures that allows an organization to analyze and reduce the environmental impact of its activities and to continually improve its environmental performance. The part of the overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy. First adopted by private industry, the EMS approach is increasingly common in the public sector.

Environmentally Preferable Products:  Products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. The product or service comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance or disposal. Such products or services include, but are not limited to, those which contain recycled content, minimize waste, conserve energy or water and reduce the amount of toxics disposed or consumed.

Environmentally Responsive:  A characteristic of “green buildings”, means to the extent possible, that natural areas on the site are protected and restored; storm-water is minimized and erosion is controlled; construction does not introduce pollutants or degrade the site; and materials are selected that minimize the environmental impact related to extraction, harvest, production, and transportation.

Eutrophication:  The process by which a body of water becomes over-rich with dissolved nutrients (such as phosphorus and nitrogen) causing an explosion of algae and bacteria growth (“algae bloom”) which block sunlight from living things below and absorbs oxygen, essentially choking out other life (“fish kills”) and eventually leaving an area void of life. This is often caused from agriculture runoff, storm water runoff from city streets or sewage spills, rich in nutrients from fertilizers, detergents or excrement.         

Extended Producer Responsibility / Manufacturer Responsibility:  A system whereby the producers (or distributors/retailers) of a packaged consumer product assume primary responsibility for the management and recycling of the product packaging and/or the product itself.

Fossil Fuel:  An organic substance, such as coal and petroleum, found in underground deposits formed in a previous geologic period and used as an energy source (really stored solar energy) and raw material for manufacturing processes for items such as plastics and candle wax. The burning of these substances produces carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfer dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter, the main causes of air pollution, global warming and acid rain.      

Fuel Cell:  A device that produces electricity directly from a chemical reaction in a specially designed cell.  In the simplest case the cell uses hydrogen as a fuel, to which an oxidant is supplied. The hydrogen is combined with oxygen as if the hydrogen were burned, but the reactants are separated by an electrolyte solution that facilitates the migration of ions and the release of electrons, which may then be tapped as an energy source. The resultant emission is H20 – water.      

Global Warming:  A slow but steady average increase in the Earth's temperature. Greenhouse gases make the Earth warmer by trapping out-going solar energy inside the atmosphere, otherwise known as the “greenhouse effect”. Without this process the Earth’s temperature would drastically drop at night, but atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases have risen in the last 50 years, enhancing the heat-trapping capabilities of the Earth's atmosphere. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about 1° F in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. Scientists attribute the increased levels of greenhouse gases and the rise in the Earth's temperate to human activities that release these gases into the atmosphere (e.g. automobile and power plant emissions, manufacturing, destruction of forests and wetlands, etc.). With increased production and development, the emission of these gases is predicted to continue to rise, most likely accelerating global warming. Scientists predict a warmer Earth will cause changes in global temperature and precipitation patterns, a rise in the average sea level, altered weather patterns and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife and humans. A greenhouse gas is any gas that absorbs infra-red radiation in the atmosphere and includes: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs), ozone (O3), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

Green Building Practices:  The incorporation of environmental, health and waste prevention criteria in building design, site-planning and preparation, materials acquisition, construction or remodeling, deconstruction and waste disposal. 

Green Design:  Design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants that address sustainable site planning, safeguarding water and water efficiency, energy efficiency, conservation of materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.

Greenhouse gas:  A heat-trapping gas that accumulates in the upper atmosphere. The heat is reflected back to earth, producing an increase in the earth’s temperature as it traps heat. The most important of these gases are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. These gases are produced primarily through the combustion of carbon-based fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and through livestock production (produces methane gas).      

Group Packaging / Secondary Packaging:  Point-of-purchase packaging that does not come in contact with the product or that groups a number of sales units. It can be removed from the product without affecting the products characteristics (e.g., the box containing a tube of toothpaste).

Hazardous Waste:  Waste that is classified as definitely or potentially hazardous to the health of people due to one or more characteristics of ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity. It can be any refuse, sludge or other waste materials or combination in solid, semi-solid, liquid or contained gaseous form.  Paint products, pool chemicals, household cleaners and pesticides are typical examples. When disposed of in the municipal solid waste stream or otherwise improperly managed, these materials have the potential of contaminating the ground water/drinking water supply. In Florida, hazardous wastes are those listed or characterized in Title Code 40 of the Federal Regulation (CFR) 261 Subpart C-D, as hazardous by the US EPA. Portions of the CFR are incorporated into the Florida Administrative Code Rule 62-730.

High Performance Buildings:  Also known as “Green” buildings, a holistic approach (including environmental, health and waste prevention criteria) to building design, construction or remodeling, site planning and preparation, materials acquisition, maintenance and waste disposal. Overall, they are simply good buildings that perform their functions well and use resources efficiently; economically, they are shown to perform better than traditional buildings and provide a better work/living environment for their occupants, in which they perform better because they are comfortable and healthy.  Characteristics include, 1) have good ventilation systems and do not use materials that have harmful chemicals that off-gas which affect indoor air quality; 2) thermally, visually and acoustically comfortable; 3) efficient in every respect – energy, water and materials; 4) easy to use and maintain; 5) Commissioned to ensure that they actually function as intended; 6) Environmentally Responsive; 7) safe and secure, this is achieved through site zone planning and the smart use of building layout, visual surveillance and other techniques.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ):  ASHRAE defines acceptable indoor air quality as air in which there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations as determined by cognizant authorities and with which a substantial majority (80 percent or more) of the people exposed do not express dissatisfaction. 

Ignitability:  Defined by having an oxidizer or flash point < 140° F.

Industrial Scrap:  Materials and manufacturing by-products reused in the manufacturing process (e.g. paper trimmings from an envelope manufacturer are collected and re-pulped at the beginning of the facility’s manufacturing process). This material is not considered recycled or recovered material in most processes, as this is common practice in manufacturing.

Integrated Pest Management:  (as defined by Congress) A sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.  

International Organization for Standardization (ISO):  A non-governmental organization (est. in 1947), whose mission is to promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world in order to facilitate the international exchange of goods and services and to develop cooperation in the areas of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity. ISO has more than 13,700 International Standards for business, government and society and serves as a bridge between the public and private sectors. The standards are developed through a network of national standards institutes from 145 countries working in partnership with international organizations, governments, business and consumer representatives. ISO does not certify, audit or register companies, products or environmental management systems against the standards, nor does it endorse any organizations that provides these services.

ISO 9000:  The family of standards that defines “quality management”. Quality management means what the organization does to enhance customer satisfaction of its products or service, to meet and go beyond all applicable regulatory requirements, and to continually improve performance in these areas.  

ISO 14000:  This family of standards comprises the international framework for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) for an overall, strategic approach to an organization’s environmental policy, plans, actions and implementation. It is concerned primarily with what the organization does to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities and to continually improve its environmental performance. The 14000 family also provides a framework for international eco-labels and declarations.        

LEED™:  “Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design”. Developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), this rating system aids accredited designers in developing environmentally and energy conscious facilities. See more under US Green Building Council.     

Life-Cycle Analysis / Assessment:  A comprehensive examination of a product’s environmental and economic effects and potential impacts throughout its lifetime including new materials extraction, transportation, manufacturing, use and disposal. The International Standards Organization, through ISO 14040, has defined life cycle assessment slightly differently as follows: Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs, and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle.  

Life-Cycle Cost:  The amortized annual cost of a product, including capital costs, installation costs, operating costs, maintenance costs and disposal costs discounted over the lifetime of the product, according to Federal Executive Order 13101, Section 201. This definition does not however include external costs (i.e. those not borne directly by the entity that owns and operates a product/service, such as environmental costs to society at large). The U.S. EPA thus encourages the consideration of all internal and external costs associated with a product, process or activity throughout its entire life cycle.

Life Cycle Costing:  A procurement evaluation technique which determines the total cost of acquisition, transportation, operation and maintenance, upgrades and recycling or disposal of items being acquired. 

Low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds):  Products with a low-VOC content meant for indoor use have been positively correlated with better indoor air quality. Using products with low VOCs is especially important for chemically sensitive individuals. Low-VOCs products are now readily available and are often labeled as “low odor”; available product categories include paint, cleaning products, markers/highlighters/, carpet, adhesives, sealants, solvents and furniture. 

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS):  A document prepared by the product’s manufacturer and is a compilation of information required under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard, including a listing of hazardous chemicals, health and physical hazards/impacts, exposure limits, handling precautions, as well as information on how to respond to spills, accidental contact and other exposures. OSHA requires that the MSDS accompany all chemical products and  be posted and kept so they can be easily accessed by employees using or handling the materials.  

Non-renewable Energy:  Energy obtained from sources such as fossil fuels, nuclear and geothermal that may be used up much faster than can be replenished by natural processes.  

Non-renewable Resource: A resource that is cycled so slowly by natural Earth processes that once used, it is essentially not going to be made available within any useful human timeframe.

Performance Contracting:  An excellent tool to ensure a customer gets what they pay for. Customer benefits include the installation of energy efficient retrofits by the contractor through a lease-purchase arrangement and contractor responsibility for the entire process from audit through construction and maintenance; thus minimizing the time, effort, expertise and labor needed by the client. Energy savings are guaranteed to meet or exceed the repayment schedule, “performing" as promised by the contractor. Terms of repayment are usually approved up to ten years. Competition is encouraged between contractors and providers, and clients are offered "one-stop shopping". In other words, the intent of PM is to effect facility upgrades and improvements using savings that can be derived from energy, operational or management areas to pay for, or partially pay for, needed improvements.       

PET/PET-G:  Polyethylene Terephthalate is a plastic resin (SPI Code #1=PETE) often used to make plastic containers and components. PET is a lightweight, transparent, rigid polymer that is commonly recycled. PET soda and water bottles are used to make 100% recycled nylon carpet.

Photovoltaics (PV):  Technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using a solid semiconductor material. The electricity can be used immediately, stored in batteries, or sold to a utility.   Solar panels use PV technology.  

Plant Based Product:  See Bio-based Products above.

Pollution Prevention (P2):  Means “source reduction” as defined by the Federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990; practices which reduce or eliminate the creation of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant or prevents it from entering the waste stream or otherwise released to the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment or disposal; and reduces the hazards to public health and environmental associated with the release of such substances. Means to accomplish P2: increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water or other resources; protection of natural resources by conservation; process modifications; product substitutions; product reformulation; improved management housekeeping practices; recycling within industrial processes; or equipment replacement or modifications. 

Post-Consumer Content (pcc):  The portion of a product made from product material that has been diverted from the waste stream and separated and collected for recycling as part of a municipal recycling program (i.e. from homes, stores, office buildings, etc.) after it has completed its intended end use as consumer items or packaging to be then used as a raw material. Post-consumer is part of the broader category of “recovered materials”. See also Post-Consumer Materials.     

Post-Industrial Materials:  Materials generated by manufacturers or product converters, such as trimmings, overruns and obsolete products, that are incorporated back into the manufacturing process of the same or a different product.

Post-Consumer Materials:  Materials generated by consumer, business or institutional sources that have served their intended use or completed their lifecycle and would be destined for disposal had they not been diverted from the waste stream for recycling (e.g., paper placed in a recycling bin by a consumer/end-user that is collected and re-pulped to make new paper products)

Pre-Consumer Content:  Materials and manufacturing by-products that would be destined for disposal had they not been diverted from the waste stream for reuse or recycling (e.g., paper trimmings left over after cutting envelopes from paper that are sold to another manufacturer to be used to make paper products) are consider pre-consumer materials. This category does not include materials and by-products generated by and commonly used in an original manufacturing process, this is called Industrial Scrap.

Price Preference:  A specified percentage of increase in price that a buyer (usually a municipality) will pay to obtain a designated product or service. This technique has been used in the past for purchasing recycled content products and has contributed to the eventual lowering of market prices for these items.  

Processed-Chlorine Free:  A term used for paper products manufactured without the use of chlorine or chlorine derivatives but that contain post-consumer recycled materials which may contain residues of chlorine.   

Procurement:  The combined functions of purchasing, inventory control, traffic and transportation, receiving, receiving inspection, storekeeping and salvage and disposal operations.

Product Stewardship:  Product stewardship is an approach to product and materials management designed to improve resource utilization efficiency and promote waste minimization. Product stewardship programs seek to 1) establish responsibility for, and 2) to apportion the costs of waste management among the specific participants in the various stages of a product's life cycle. In this way, the full environmental costs of a product are internalized and end of life product management responsibility is clearly assigned to either the manufacturer, the retailer or to other specific participants in the product life cycle, rather than being left to the consumer or municipality. This approach to distributing costs creates economic incentives for designers, producers, distributors and waste managers to minimize waste and enhance material efficiency, affecting decisions on materials selection, production processes, packaging and marketing. See Shared Product Responsibility.

PVC:  Polyvinyl Chloride is a plastic resin indicated by SPI Code #3. The manufacture and use of PVC is known to produce and emit dioxin, a known human carcinogen.    

Off-gassing:  The releasing of gases or vapors into the air.

Rainforest Hardwood/Tropical Wood:  Wood that originated from trees removed from rainforest habitat, a threatened eco-system type.

Reclaimed:  Refers to the specialized process of cleaning and refurbishing an item for reuse. For example, carpet broadloom and tiles can be cleaned and refurbished to replace overly worn segments and used municipal water can be reclaimed and used for irrigation purposes.

Recovered Materials:  The whole category of waste materials and by-products that have been recovered or diverted from solid waste, including “pre-consumer” materials generated in industrial processes and “post-consumer” materials diverted from the waste stream to be recycled and reused as raw material.    

Recyclable / Recyclability:  The potential of a material to be diverted from the solid waste stream for the purpose of recycling and reprocessing into a new product. The actual ability of a product to be recycled depends on the types of materials that are accepted within each municipality’s recycling program. 

Recycled Content:  The portion of a product made from pre- and post-consumer recovered materials that have been diverted from the waste stream and have been used as a feed stock in a material production process, usually expressed as a percentage by weight.

Recycled Product:  A product made entirely or partly from materials diverted from the waste stream.   

Refurbished:  The process of restoring a product by cleaning, repairing, recovering and reusing the item for its original intended use.

Remanufacturing / Reconditioning:  Refers to the process of restoring used, durable products to meet original performance standards using new, after-market parts that meet the same specifications as original equipment parts. This process has many other names, including: rebuilding (automotive sector); re-treading (tire remanufacturing); and refurbishing. This process results in less waste and less raw material and energy use.

Renewable Energy:  Alternative energy sources such as solar, water, wind and biomass that are more or less continuously made available in a timeframe useful for humans.

Renewable Resource:  A resource, such as timber, water, sunlight or air, that is naturally recycled or recycled by artificial processes within a timeframe useful for people.   

Resource Conservation:  The preservation, careful management, controlled use and systemic protection of air, water, land, material, biological and energy resources to sustain human life and planetary ecology.

Reuse:  Repairing, refurbishing, washing or recovering worn or used products, packaging, appliances, furniture or building materials to be used again. Reusing packaging and products prolongs their useful life and delays final disposal or recycling. Some products are made to be reused over and over, while others are creatively re-used to fill a need or to divert the material from the waste stream.  

Reusability:  Refers to how many times a product may be reused. Since reusable products generally require more up-front costs than disposable products, they are often subjected to a cost/benefit analysis in order to determine the life cycle cost. Normally, however, reusable products are more cost effective while reducing waste.

Shared Product Responsibility:  A new trend that seeks to expand the assignment of responsibility for waste management of packaging and spent consumer goods beyond the producer and consumer to include all participants along the life cycle of a product including designers, suppliers, manufacturers, fillers, distributors and disposers, as well as consumers and governments. Examples of policies that involve forms of extended or shared responsibility include environmental procurement programs, minimum recycled-content requirements, advanced disposal fees, material restrictions, product taxes and deposit-refund systems. See Product Stewardship.

Sick Building Syndrome:  A pattern of health complaints related to poor indoor air quality, without known causation or definite symptoms, nor can it be diagnosed medically. It may be multi-factorial (e.g., inadequate ventilation, deficiencies in HVAC operation, exposure to indoor air pollutants such as tobacco smoke, VOC’s, mold). Symptoms included nasal stuffiness, dry and irritated eyes, throat and skin; headaches; generalized lethargy and tiredness leading to poor concentration.

Spectrally selective window glazing:  Spectrally selective glazings are those that have been tuned to absorb solar infrared radiation while maintaining visible transmittance. Tints are available by either adding materials to the glass during production or by applying a plastic coating film after production. The tinting materials increase absorption of solar radiation and may change the color appearance of the glass. Blue, green and aqua are naturally selective for the visible wavelengths.    

Source / Waste Reduction:  Any practice or change in the design, manufacturing, purchase or use of materials, products or packaging to reduce amount and/or toxicity before they become municipal solid waste. This also refers to the reuse of products or materials which results in a reduction of waste going to final disposal, and includes practices such as composting, duplexing, packaging reduction or use of more durable or refillable materials.

Source Reduction Procurement:  Buying and using products and services that help prevent the generation of waste and improve resource efficiency. This can be accomplished through: reducing product use; renting or leasing products or equipment; purchasing rebuilt, remanufactured or refurbished products; purchasing more durable products; purchasing products containing non-hazardous materials; purchasing products that are reusable, refillable or returnable; purchasing products in bulk; purchasing products with less packaging or reusing packaging; and sharing or reusing resources within an organization. This is a subset of the broader category of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP). 

Specification:  A concise statement of a set of requirements to be satisfied by a product, material or process, indicating where appropriate the procedures to determine whether the requirements are satisfied. It is desirable that the requirements be expressed numerically in terms of appropriate units together with their limits whenever practicable.  

Sustainability:  The balancing of environmental, economic and social equity concerns to satisfy the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. 

Sustainable Development:  Basis is the same as Sustainability (above), the process of conducting business and commerce in a resource conservative and resource efficient manner such that operations do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The essential elements of this trend are the promotion and maintenance of business and community development strategies that lead to a better business environment in the future; one sustained by stable, healthful communities within a clean, safe environment. The operative concept underlying this growing trend is an emphasis on fostering community and business activity that is driven by long range goals, often met through pollution prevention strategies, extended producer responsibility or product stewardship programs, water and energy conservation initiatives and related processes.

Sustainable Building Design:  A design style that requires a holistic view of land, infrastructure, and buildings in order to use material, energy and water resources efficiently to promote occupant health and well-being of the indoor environment and improve ecosystems. See High Performance Buildings above.

Sustainably Harvested:  Wood and other biotic materials which are cut at a pace and by means which do not compromise the forest or natural area’s ability to function as a healthy eco-system and regenerate itself. 

Take-back:  Refers to the manufacturer or designee accepting a return of end-of-life product; responsibility of payment for the transportation of the product may be situation-specific.

Transport Packaging/Tertiary Packaging:  Packaging that facilitates handling and transport of a number of sales units or grouped packaging in order to prevent damage. Transport packaging does not include road, rail, ship or air containers.

Tree-Free:  Products made of alternative plant products normally made from trees. For paper production this includes hemp, bamboo, kenaf, cotton, seaweed, banana stalk, tobacco leaves, bagasse, ramie, coffee bean residues, esparto grass, old money, denim trimmings and agricultural wastes such as sugar cane, rice straw, wheat straw and vegetables.

Totally Chlorine free (TCF):  Paper products made without using chlorine or chlorine derivatives; these papers can only be made of virgin materials. The pulp is “bleached” using different lightening agents such as oxygen, hydrogen peroxide or ozone.   

Virgin Product:  Products that are made with 100 percent new raw materials and do not contain any recycled materials.

VOCs (volatile organic compounds):  Chemical compounds contain carbon molecules that evaporate easily (volatile) at room temperature (referred to as off-gassing) and often have a recognizable odor. The U.S.EPA’s definition of VOCs for architectural coatings includes hydrocarbons that are photochemically reactive. They are often used in solvents, paint, carpet, cleaning products, furniture and adhesives. Many contain chlorinated hydrocarbons and some are carcinogenic (e.g. benzene, chloroform and methyl ethyl ketone). Initially, VOCs may cause eye and upper respiratory irritation, nasal congestion, headaches and dizziness. VOCs mix with sunlight to form ground-level ozone that contributes to the formation of smog. 

Waste prevention:  See source reduction. 

Waste Reducing Product:  Any product that results in less waste generated due to its use or characteristics, this includes products that can be reused, refilled, are more durable (have a longer life expectancy), contain fewer toxic ingredients or are in concentrate form.   

Water Efficiency:  Refers to any plumbing fixture that meets or exceeds the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program recommended performance standards for flow rates.

Xeriscaping:  Landscaping for water and energy efficiency and reduced maintenance. The seven xeriscaping principles are good planning and design; practical lawn areas; efficient irrigation; soil improvement; use of mulches; low-water-demand plants (drought tolerant plants and native plants); and good maintenance.