| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | abatement | reduction of pollution or nuisance |
| 2. | adaptation | adjustment to changing conditions |
| 3. | air quality | cleanliness of the air |
| 4. | aquifer | underground water-bearing rock |
| 5. | asbestos | hazardous fibrous mineral |
| 6. | assessment | evaluation of environmental condition |
| 7. | audit | formal compliance review |
| 8. | baseline | starting point for comparison |
| 9. | benchmark | reference point for performance |
| 10. | biodegradable | able to break down naturally |
| 11. | biodiversity | variety of living species |
| 12. | buffer | protective area between uses |
| 13. | citation | official notice of violation |
| 14. | climate | long-term weather patterns |
| 15. | compliance | following laws and regulations |
| 16. | compost | decayed organic material |
| 17. | conservation | protection of natural resources |
| 18. | containment | keeping pollution from spreading |
| 19. | contamination | making something impure or unsafe |
| 20. | corridor | route linking habitats |
| 21. | decontamination | removal of harmful substances |
| 22. | deforestation | clearing forests on a large scale |
| 23. | depletion | using up a resource |
| 24. | disinfection | killing harmful microorganisms |
| 25. | drainage | removal of excess water |
| 26. | drought | extended period of low rainfall |
| 27. | dumping | improper disposal of waste |
| 28. | ecosystem | community of organisms and habitat |
| 29. | efficiency | doing more with less |
| 30. | effluent | liquid waste discharge |
| 31. | emissions | gases released into the air |
| 32. | energy | power used for work |
| 33. | erosion | wearing away of soil |
| 34. | estuary | river mouth with tidal mixing |
| 35. | exposure | contact with a hazard |
| 36. | fertilizer | material promoting plant growth |
| 37. | filtration | removing particles through a filter |
| 38. | flooding | overflow of water onto land |
| 39. | footprint | measure of environmental impact |
| 40. | groundwater | water beneath Earth’s surface |
| 41. | habitat | natural home of a species |
| 42. | handling | managing materials safely |
| 43. | hazard | potential source of harm |
| 44. | incident | unplanned event causing concern |
| 45. | incineration | waste burning for disposal |
| 46. | indicator | measure showing environmental status |
| 47. | inspection | official examination of conditions |
| 48. | inventory | detailed list of materials |
| 49. | labeling | marking contents and hazards |
| 50. | landfill | site for waste burial |
| 51. | leachate | polluted liquid from waste |
| 52. | lead | toxic heavy metal |
| 53. | liability | legal responsibility for damage |
| 54. | litter | trash left in public places |
| 55. | mercury | toxic liquid metal |
| 56. | methane | powerful greenhouse gas |
| 57. | microplastic | tiny plastic particle pollutant |
| 58. | mitigation | reducing harmful impacts |
| 59. | monitoring | regular checking and measurement |
| 60. | noise | unwanted or harmful sound |
| 61. | nuisance | condition causing annoyance or harm |
| 62. | odor | smell, often unpleasant |
| 63. | ozone | reactive gas in atmosphere |
| 64. | particulate | tiny airborne solid or liquid |
| 65. | penalty | punishment for noncompliance |
| 66. | permit | official authorization to operate |
| 67. | pesticide | chemical controlling pests |
| 68. | pollution | harmful contamination of environment |
| 69. | preparedness | readiness for emergencies |
| 70. | preservation | keeping something from harm |
| 71. | protection | keeping from damage or loss |
| 72. | recovery | retrieval of useful material |
| 73. | recycling | processing waste into new materials |
| 74. | regulation | official rule or requirement |
| 75. | remediation | cleaning up pollution or damage |
| 76. | resilience | ability to recover from stress |
| 77. | resource | useful natural material or asset |
| 78. | reuse | use again instead of discarding |
| 79. | runoff | water flowing over land |
| 80. | sediment | particles carried by water |
| 81. | sewage | wastewater from homes or industry |
| 82. | smog | polluted atmospheric haze |
| 83. | soil | top layer supporting plant life |
| 84. | spill | accidental release of substance |
| 85. | standard | required level of quality |
| 86. | stormwater | rainwater flowing across surfaces |
| 87. | sustainability | meeting needs without harming future |
| 88. | target | specific goal to achieve |
| 89. | threshold | limit triggering action |
| 90. | toxicity | degree of poisonousness |
| 91. | traceability | ability to track material history |
| 92. | transport | movement of materials or waste |
| 93. | treatment | process making waste less harmful |
| 94. | violation | breaking a rule or law |
| 95. | waste | unwanted material needing disposal |
| 96. | wastewater | used water needing treatment |
| 97. | water quality | condition of water cleanliness |
| 98. | watershed | land draining to one waterway |
| 99. | wetland | waterlogged land ecosystem |
| 100. | wildfire | uncontrolled fire in vegetation |