Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals exploited commercially for their desirable physical properties. The asbestiform varieties of Chysotile (otherwise known as serpentine); crocidolite (otherwise known as riebeckite); amosite (otherwise known as cummingtonitegrunerite); anthophylite; tremolite; and actinolite.
Asbestos-containing material (ACM)
Any manufactured material or object that, as part of its design, contains one or more of the asbestiform varieties.
Asbestos debris
Pieces of ACM that can be identified by color, texture, or composition, or dust, if the dust is determined by an accredited inspector to be ACM.
Asbestos removal
The taking out or the stripping of substantially all ACM from a damaged area, a functional space, or a homogeneous area in a building. There are several methods for removing asbestos including the use of Polyethylene film, duct tape and negative air pressure machines which are fitted with HEPA filters. The idea is that the contained area is pulling fresh air in as to not allow asbestos fibers into the surrounding environment.
Asbestos abatement
The removal of environmental harmful asbestos from a public building.
Asbestos buildings
Building containing asbestos. An asbestos-containing building that is to be torn down may have to be sealed, and to have its asbestos safely removed before ordinary demolition can be performed.
Air quality specialist
An expert who is devoted to evaluate and maintain air quality.
Contamination remediation
It is the process of removal and/or cleanup of contamination.
Decontamination
It is the process of cleansing to remove contamination, or the possibility (or fear) of contamination.
Encapsulation
An airtight, impermeable, permanent barrier around ACM to prevent the release of asbestos fibers into the air.
Environmental consulting
It is often a form of compliance consulting, in which the consultant ensures that the client maintains an appropriate measure of compliance with environmental regulations.
Environmental engineering
It is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the environment (air, water, and/or land resources), to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites.
Exposure
The amount of contact an individual has with asbestos fibers. Evaluation of exposure should take into account the factors of location of the asbestos containing material (ACM), potential duration of exposure, and potential exposure populations. For example, intact boiler insulation in a boiler room accessed by maintenance or custodial personnel once per week would likely be given a relatively low exposure rating.
Friable
When referring to material in a building means that the material, when dry, may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure and includes previously non-friable material which becomes damaged to the extent that when dry it may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
Functional space
Means a room, group of rooms, or homogeneous area (including crawl spaces or the space between a dropped ceiling and the floor or roof deck above), such as room(s), a cafeteria, gymnasium, hallway(s), designated by a person accredited to prepare management plans, design abatement projects, or conduct response actions.
Hazardous waste
It is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment that can be carcinogenic, flammable, oxidant, corrosive, radioactive and explosive.
Hazardous waste disposal
The careful process to dispose hazardous waste that can only be performed by a professional.
Hazardous material
They are solids, liquids, or gases that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment. They are often subject to chemical regulations.
High efficiency particulate air (HEPA)
Refers to a filtering system capable of trapping and retaining at least 99.97 percent of all monodispersed particles 0.3 m in diameter or larger.
Inspection
An activity undertaken in a residential, commercial, or industrial building, to determine the presence or location, or to assess the condition of, friable or non-friable asbestos-containing material (ACM) or suspected ACM, whether by visual or physical examination, or by collecting samples of such material. This term includes reinspection of friable and non-friable known or assumed ACM which has been previously identified.
Lead paint removal
It is the process of cleaning lead paint.
Mold
Include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments, called hyphae. In contrast, microscopic fungi that grow as single cells are called yeasts.
Mould
British and Canadian spelling for Mold.
Mold inspector
Professional that examines buildings to evaluate its level of mold.
Mold assessment
It is the process of identifying the location and extent of the mold hazard in a structure.
Mold remediation
It is the process of removal and/or cleanup of mold from an indoor environment.
Mould removal
The process to remove mold.
Mold test
The process to test a building to see the levels of mold.
Non-Friable
Means material in a building which when dry may not be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)
They are a class of organic compounds with 1 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings.
Remediation services
Services provided to correct environmental degradation.
Surfacing material
Means material in a building that is sprayed on, trowelled on, or otherwise applied to surfaces such as acoustical plaster on ceilings, fireproofing materials on structural members, or other materials on surfaces for acoustical, fireproofing, or other purposes.
Waste remediation
It is the process of removal and/or cleanup of waste.