Affirmative Procurement - A subset of green purchasing specific to a program overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that requires certain products to be manufactured with a percentage of recycled-content when purchased with federal money.

Biobased - Any product made substantially from plant or animal matter instead of synthetically produced chemicals or petroleum-based products. Biobased products can be significantly more biodegradable when compared to their petroleum- or synthetics-based counterparts. For the purpose of Federal agencies complying with the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act Section 9002, a biobased product is a product "determined by the Secretary [of the U.S. Department of Agriculture] to be a commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) that is composed, in whole or in significant part, of biological products or renewable domestic agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials) or forestry materials."

Disposal - A method of handling waste by storing or burying it. This method continues to pose a threat of potential release to the environment.

EPP - Acronym for Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. See Green Purchasing.

Generator - Any person who produces or creates waste, such as you and me.

Green Chemistry - The design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.

Green Design - Green design is a whole-building approach to designing, constructing, and operating buildings that strives to significantly reduce the negative impact of the built environment on the natural environment by addressing: site stewardship; water quality and efficiency; energy efficiency and atmospheric emissions; conservation of materials; and indoor environmental quality.

Green Purchasing - Seeking products and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products and services that serve the same purpose. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance and/or disposal of the product or service.

Hazardous Waste - Waste regulated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act that is listed or categorized as ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic, or regulated by the health and safety code in California Code of Regulations, Title 22.

Hazardous Material - Any material regulated by the Toxic Substances Control Act, including asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls and other chemicals.

Interdisciplinary Team - The Interdisciplinary Team at SNL/California consists of representatives from each Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) subject area, facilities and security. The team meets Thursday’s to review scheduled presentations on proposed projects/activities.

Life Cycle Analysis - An analytic approach which considers all aspects of a product from raw materials extraction through final product disposal within defined limits. The costs include energy, social, and environmental aspects.

Mixed Waste - Any material described as a hazardous waste contaminated with radioactivity.

Pollution - Anything that contributes to the contamination of any natural resource including water supplies and the atmosphere.

Pollution Prevention (P2) - According to the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, P2 means source reduction, reuse, recycling and other practices that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants through increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources, or protecting resources through conservation.  See Product Changes; Process Changes.

Pollution Prevention Opportunity Assessment (PPOA) - A structured examination of activities or processes that identifies waste streams, suggests pollution prevention options, estimates prevention benefits, provides recommendations for implementation, and documents the results.

Product Changes - Changing materials to decrease environmental impact and to increase product life. (Example: more efficient light bulbs)

Process Changes - Eliminating or altering processes that create hazardous waste. (Example: Using monitoring so that maintenance activities can be done on a performance-based rather than calendar-based schedule)

Radioactive Waste - Solid, liquid, or gaseous materials containing radionuclides regulated under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.

Recycling - Reuse or remanufacture of materials into useful products on or off site.

Reuse - The use of previously used material in similar or different processes.

Source Reduction - Preventing pollution by not creating or generating it in the first place.  This is accomplished through pre-process analysis and changing of the products, processes, operating practices, and technologies to be used.

Treatment - Includes actions which reduce the volume and/or hazardous properties of waste after its generation and prior to disposal or discharge.  To treat waste in California requires a permit from California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances.

Waste Management - Handling, treatment, storage and disposal of waste products.