Carbon Dioxide (CO2): A naturally occurring greenhouse gas in the earth's atmosphere, concentrations of which have increased (from 280 parts per million in pre-industrial times to over 360 parts per million today) as a result of burning coal, oil, natural gas and organic matter.
Carbon Monoxide (CO): A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete fossil fuel combustion.
Carcinogens : Substances that cause cancer in humans.
Catalyst : Material that does not take a direct part in a chemical reaction but increases the rate of the reaction.
Chlorination : Added to water or wastewater, generally for disinfection, but frequently for other biological or chemical results. Chlorine also is used in manufacturing processes, particularly the plastics industry.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) : Stable, artificially created chemical compounds containing carbon chlorine, fluorine and sometimes hydrogen. Chlorofluorocarbons, used in refrigerators and air conditioners, damage the stratospheric ozone layer that protects the earth and its inhabitants from excessive ultraviolet radiation. CFCs are not destroyed in earth's lower atmosphere; they drift into the upper atmosphere, where their chlorine components destroy the ozone layer.
Clean Fuel: Fuels that have lower emissions than conventional gasoline and diesel. The term can refer both to alternative fuels and reformulated gasoline and diesel.
Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) : A "CREB" is a special type of tax credit bond providing rural electric cooperatives, municipal electric utilities, and government entities (including tribal councils) the equivalent of an interest-free loan for financing qualified energy projects. CREBs were created in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and are largely modeled on the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program that provides tax credit bonds for school renovation and upgrades in certain qualified school districts. They deliver an incentive comparable to the production tax credit that is available to private renewable energy project developers and investor-owned utilities.
Cleanup : Actions taken to deal with a release of a hazardous substance that could affect humans and the environment. The term "cleanup" is sometimes used with the terms remedial action, removal action, response action, or corrective action.
Climate Change: A regional change in temperature and weather patterns. Recent scientific thought indicates a discernible link between 20th Century climate change and the burning of fossil fuels. It is also defined by the United Nations Convention on Climate Change as "change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods".
Closure : When a landfill reaches its legal capacity for solid waste, a cap is permanently placed on the site.
Combustion : Burning, or rapid oxidation, accompanied by release of energy in the form of heat and light. Also, refers to controlled burning of waste, in which heat chemically alters organic compounds, converting into stable inorganics such as carbon dioxide and water.
Commercial Scale Wind : Refers to wind energy projects greater than 100 kW where the electricity is sold rather than used on-site.
Commercial Waste Management Facility : Treatment, storage, disposal, or transfer facility which accepts waste from a variety of sources
Community : In ecology, a group of populations of different species within a specified location.
Community Relations : The EPA effort to establish communication with the public to create understanding of EPA programs and related actions, to ensure public input into decision making processes, and to make certain that the Agency is aware of and responsive to public concerns. Specific community relations activities are required in relation to Superfund remedial actions.
Community Wind : Locally owned, commercial-scale wind projects. "Locally owned" means that one or more members of the local community has a significant direct financial stake in the project other than through land lease payments, tax revenue, or other payments in lieu of taxes. The term "community wind" refers to method and intention of development rather than the size of the project. A 1,000 kW, commercial-scale wind turbine might cost $1-2 million.
Compliance Cycle : The 9-year cycle, beginning January 1, 1993 during which public water systems must be monitored. Each cycle consists of three 3-year compliance periods.
Compliance Monitoring : Collection and evaluation of data to show whether pollutant concentrations and loads contained in permitted discharges are in compliance with the limits and conditions specified in the permit.
Compliance Schedule : A negotiated agreement between a pollution site and a government agency that specifies dates and procedures by which the site owners will reduce emissions and thereby comply with a regulation.
Compost : Solid waste management technique that uses natural methods to convert organic matter to humus. This conversion is achieved through the use of microorganisms. Compost is a mixture of decayed organic matter used for fertilizing and conditioning land.
Compost : Decomposed organic material produced when bacteria in soil break down garbage and biodegradable trash, making organic fertilizer. Gardeners and farmers use compost for soil enrichment.
Conservation : Preserving and renewing natural resources to assure their highest economic or social benefit over the longest period of time.
Contamination : Intrusion of undesirable elements. The addition of foreign matter to a substance that reduces the value of the substance, or interferes with its intended use.
Contingency Plan : A document detailing an organized, planned, and coordinated course of action to be followed in case of a fire, explosion, or other accident that releases toxic chemicals, hazardous waste, or radioactive materials that threaten human health or the environment.
Conventional Pollutant : Pollutants understood well by scientists. These may be in the form of organic waste, sediment, acid, bacteria, viruses, nutrients, oil and grease, or heat.
Corrective Action : EPA required treatment, storage and disposal (TSDF) facilities handling hazardous waste to clean up spills resulting from failure to follow hazardous waste management procedures. The process includes cleanup procedures designed to guide TSDFs toward in spills.
Corrosion : Dissolution and wearing away of metal caused by a chemical reaction such as between water and the pipes or chemicals touching a metal surface.
Cost Sharing : A program through which society shares part of the cost of pollution control with those who must actually install the controls. In Superfund, for example, the government may pay part of the cost of a cleanup action with those responsible for the pollution .
Cost-Effective Alternative: An alternative control considered the best available in terms of reliability, performance, and cost. Although costs are one important consideration, regulatory and compliance analysis does not require EPA to choose the least expensive alternative.
Cost-of-Service Ratemaking : A system for establishing prices in which a utility is reimbursed for the legitimate costs it encounters in serving customers plus a specific percentage for profit.
Coverage Ratio : A type of accounting ratio that measures a company's ability to meet its obligations. A coverage ratio encompasses many different types of financial ratios. Typically, these kinds of ratios involve a comparison of assets and liabilities. The better the assets "cover" the liabilities, the better off the company is.
Criteria Pollutants: The 1970 amendments to the Clean Air Act required EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards for certain pollutants known to be hazardous to human health. EPA has identified and set standards to protect human health and welfare for six pollutants: ozone, carbon monoxide, total suspended particulates, sulfur dioxide, lead, and nitrogen oxide.
Wilson Community College | P.O. Box 4305 • 902 Herring Avenue | Wilson, NC 27893 | Phone: (252) 291-1195 | Fax: (252) 243-7148