Chapter 7.B. Flashcards
Asbestos
A naturally occurring mineral fiber sometimes found in older homes. It is hazardous to health when a possibility exists of exposure to inhalable fibers. Homeowners should be alert for friable asbestos and always seek professional advice in dealing with it.
Asbestosis
A chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.
Mesothelioma
A cancer of mesothelial tissue, associated especially with exposure to asbestos.
Clean Air Act (CAA) -
Federal law designed to control air pollution on a national level.
Chlordane
A colorless, odorless, viscous liquid used as an insecticide. It may be toxic to humans and wildlife as a result of its effect on the nervous system.
Chloro-flouro Carbons (CFCs)
A fluid, containing hydrocarbons, that absorbs heat from a reservoir at low temperatures and rejects heat at higher temperatures. When emitted into the atmosphere, CFCs cause depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer.
Due Diligence
The review and investigation of a property to evaluate any legal liability.
Electro-magnetic Field
Created when electricity flows through a wire
Environmental Impact Statement
A report addressing the potential effects on the environment of a proposed federal government project.
Friable
Easily crumbled or reduced to powder. Asbestos is an example of a friable substance.
Freon
Moderately toxic gases or liquids which have typically been used as refrigerants (in air conditioning units) and as aerosol propellants.
Groundwater
Water located beneath the earth’s surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations
Lead
A material used in pipes and paint of many older homes. We now know that lead is hazardous to health. The local environmental protection agency should be consulted for guidelines on handling, removal and applicable laws.
Mold
A fungus that grows in the form of multi-cellular filaments called hyphae.
Poly-chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Were widely used as dielectric and coolant fluids, for example in transformers, capacitors, and electric motors.
Radon
A colorless, odorless gas that is emitted from soils, rocks and water as a result of radioactive decay in certain areas of the country. Radon is known to cause cancer. Homes should be tested for radon. The local environmental agency should be consulted on its handling, removal and any applicable laws.
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Enacted in 1974, a federal law intended to ensure safe drinking water for the public.
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
Enacted in 1986, made several important changes and additions to CERCLA, including minimum cleanup requirements.
Underground Storage Tanks
A tank and any underground piping connected to the tank that has at least 10 percent of its combined volume underground.
Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI)
A type of foamed in-place insulation that releases formaldehyde gas. It was banned by the Consumer Public Safety Commission in 1982 from use in residences and schools. Holding that the risks had not been proven, a Federal Court lifted the ban in 1983. The local consumer and/or environmental protection agency should be consulted for additional information on this type of insulation.
Wetlands
An area that is inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances does support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas, but exclude irrigation ditches unless delineated as part of an adjacent wetland
A naturally occurring mineral fiber sometimes found in older homes, which is hazardous to health when exposed to inhalable fibers, is known as what…?
Asbestos
CFCs are regulated by what Act…?
Clean Air Act
This is a federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances…?
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
