Ch. 13 Flashcards
Asbestos
A previously popular construction component for siding, kitchen floor tiles, and heating elements. Asbestos is considered dangerous when it is friable (breaking, chipping, crumbling). When asbestos products, such as shingles or tiles, are intact, it is recommended to not disrupt them.
Buffer
The Critical Area Buffer is the land area immediately adjacent to tidal waters, tidal wetlands, and tributary streams. The minimum Buffer width is 100-feet; however, on some properties it may be wider because of steep slopes, wetlands, or sensitive soils. On some projects, a wider Buffer, often 300-feet or more was part of the original project approval.
For the protection of the critical area, a buffer exists – a 200-foot forested zone of natural vegetation that extends from the mean high-water line landward from tidal waters and tidal wetlands. Human activities in the area are sharply reduced because of their adverse impact on the nearby waterways and wildlife.
Carcinogenic
A carcinogen has the potential to cause cancer.
Elevated Blood Level
The elevated blood lead (EBL) level that triggers notification of local health departments is now 10 (rather than the previous 15 or 20) micrograms per deciliter. The law applies also to exterior structures, such as playground equipment and benches.
Maryland’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
This environmental law affects more existing MD residential properties than any other law. This law is an earnest attempt to reduce the exposure of children and pregnant women to the effects of lead-based paint in pre-1978 residential rental properties. Registering pre-1978 residential rental properties with MDE is a requirement.
Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE)
This substance has been increasingly used to replace tetraethyl lead in gasoline as an agent to reduce knocking in motors. The increased use of such reformulated gasoline (RFG) produces less carbon monoxide (CO) from automobile operation, but inevitable some of the MTBE additive gets into the ground and the air. MTBE is suspected of being carcinogenic.
Mold
There is a variety of mold spores, ranging from harmless to harmful. Only a mold expert should make any statements concerning the presence of mold in a property. If the mold contains mycotoxins, it is a toxic mold.
