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environmental health
the study and management of environmental conditions that affect the health and well-being of humans
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environmental hazards
factors or conditions in the environment that increase the risk of human injury, disease, or death
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air pollution
contamination of the air that interferes with the comfort, safety, and health of living organisms
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primary polluntants
air pollutants emanating directly from transportation, power and industrial plants, and refineries
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secondary pollutants
air pollutants formed when primary air pollutants react with sunlight and other atmospheric components to form new harmful compounds
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photochemical smog
smog formed when air pollutants interact with sunlight
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industrial smog
smog formed primarily by sulfur dioxide and suspended particles from the burning of coal, also know as gray smog
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ozone
O3, an inorganic molecule considered to be a pollutant in the atmosphere because it harms human tissue, but considered beneficial in the stratosphere because it screens out UV radiation
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thermal inversion
a condition that occurs when warm air traps cooler air at the surface of the earth
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Clean Air Act (CAA)
the federal law that provides the government with authority to address interstate air pollution
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National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
standards created by the EPA for allowable concentration levels of outdoor air pollutants
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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
the federal agency primarily responsible for setting, maintaining, and enforcing environmental standards
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criteria pollutants
the most pervasive air pollutants and those of greatest concern in the United States
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Air Quality Index (AQI)
an index that indicates the level of pollution in the air and the associated health risk
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greenhouse gases
atmosphere gases, principally carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, ozone, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide that are transparent to visible light but absorb infrared radiation
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asbestos
a naturally occurring mineral fiber that has been identified as a Class A carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency
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biogenic pollutants
airborne biological organisms or their particles or gases or other toxic materials that can produce illness
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combustion by-products
gases and particulates generated by burning
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volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
compounds that exist as vapors over the normal range of air pressures and temperatures
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formaldehyde
a water-soluble gas used in aqueous solutions in hundreds of consumer products
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carcinogens
agents, usually chemicals, that cause cancer
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radon
a naturally occurring colorless, tasteless, odorless, radioactive gas formed during the radioactive decay of uranium-238
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environmental tobacco smoke
tobacco smoke in the environment that can be inhaled by nonsmokers
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secondhand smoke
environmental tobacco smoke
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mainstream smoke
tobacco smoke inhaled and exhaled by the smoker
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sidestream tobacco smoke
tobacco smoke that comes off the end of burning tobacco products
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passive smoking
the inhalation of environmental tobacco smoke by nonsmokers
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sick building syndrome
a term to describe a situation in which the air quality in a building produces generalized signs and symptoms of ill health in the buildings occupants
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sanitation
the practice of establishing and maintaining healthy or hygienic conditions in the environment
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surface water
precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground or return to the atmosphere by evaporation; the water in streams, rivers, and lakes
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groundwater
water located under the surface of the ground
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aquifers
porous, water saturated layers of underground bedrock, sand, and gravel that can yield economically significant amounts of water
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water pollution
any physical or chemical change in water that can harm living organisms or make the water unfit for other uses
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point source pollution
pollution that can be traced to a single identifiable source
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nonpoint source pollution
all pollution that occurs through the runoff, seepage, or falling of pollutants into the water
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runoff
water that flows over land surfaces (including paved surfaces), typically from precipitation
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waterborne disease outbreak (WBDO)
a disease in which at least two persons experience a similar illness after the ingestion of drinking water or after exposure to water used for recreational purposes and epidemiological evidence implicates water as the probable source of the illness
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endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC)
a chemical that interferes in some way with the body's endocrine (hormone) system
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pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)
synthetic chemicals found in everyday consumer health care products and cosmetics
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wastewater
the aqueous mixture that remains after water has been used or contaminated by humans
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wastewater treatment
the process of improving the quality of wastewater (sewage) to the point that it can be released into a body of water without seriously disrupting the aquatic environment, causing health problems in humans, or causing nuisance conditions
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sludge
a semiliquid mixture of solid waste that includes bacteria, viruses, organic matter, toxic metals, synthetic organic chemicals, and solid chemicals
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septic tank
a watertight concrete or fiberglass tank that holds sewage; one of two main parts of a septic system
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absorption field
the element of a septic system in which the liquid portion of waste is distributed
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Clean Water Act (CWA)
the federal law aimed at ensuring that all rivers are swimmable and fishable and that limits the discharge of pollutants in U.S. waters to zero
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watershed
the area of land from which all of the water that is under it or drains from it goes into the same place and drains in one point
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Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
the federal law that regulates the safety of public drinking water
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foodborne disease outbreak (FBDO)
the occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of food
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pest
any organism-a multicelled animal or plant, or a microbe- that has an adverse effect on human interests
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pesticides
synthetic chemicals developed and manufactured for the purpose of killing pests
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target organism (target pest)
the organism (or pest) for which a pesticide is applied
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nontarget organisms
all other susceptible organisms in the environment, for which a pesticide was not intended
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registered environmental health specialists (REHSs) (sanitarians)
environmental workers responsible for the inspection of restaurants, retail food outlets, public housing, and other sites to ensure compliance with public health codes
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solid waste
solid refuse from households, agriculture, and businesses
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municipal solid waste (MSW)
waste generated by individual households, businesses, and institutions located within municipalities
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hazardous waste
a solid waste or combination of solid wastes that is dangerous to human health or the environment
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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA)
the federal law that sets forth guidelines for the proper handling and disposal of hazardous wastes
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solid waste management (integrated waste management)
the collection, transportation, and disposal of solid waste
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source reduction
a waste management approach involving the reduction or elimination of the use of materials that produce an accumulation of solid waste
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recycling
the collecting, sorting, and processing of materials that would otherwise be considered waste
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composting
the natural, aerobic biodegradation of organic plant and animal matter to compost
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sanitary landfills
waste disposal sites on land suited for this purpose and on which waste is spread in thin layers, compacted, and covered with a fresh layer of clay or plastic foam each day
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leachates
liquids created when water mixes with wastes and removes soluble constituents from them by percolation
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combustion (incineration)
the burning of solid wastes
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Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
the federal law (known as the Superfund) created to clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites
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brownfields
property where reuse is complicated by the presence of hazardous substances from prior use
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lead
a naturally occurring mineral element found throughout the environment and used in large quantities for industrial products, including batteries, pipes, solder, paints, and pigments
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vector
a living organism, usually an insect or other arthropod, that can transmit a communicable disease agent to a susceptible host (e.g., a mosquito or tick)
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vectorborne disease outbreak (VBDO)
an occurrence of an unexpectedly large number of cases of disease caused by an agent transmitted by insects or other arthropods
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natural hazard
naturally occurring phenomenon or event that produces or releases energy in amounts that exceed human endurance, causing injury, disease, or death
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radiation
a process in which energy is emitted as particles or waves
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ionizing radiation
high-energy radiation that can knock an electron out of orbit, creating an ion, and can thereby damage living cells and tissues
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ultraviolet (UV) radiation
radiation energy with wavelengths 0-400 nanometers
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natural disaster
a natural hazard that results in substantial loss of life or property
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carrying capacity
the maximum population of a particular species that a given habitat can support over a given period of time
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bias and hate crimes
crimes that occur when offenders choose a victim because of some characteristic
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terroism
calculated use of violence against civilians to attain goals that are political or religious in nature
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
the nation's official emergency response agency
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American Red Cross
a nonprofit, humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter that provides relief to victims of disasters
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