Environmental Terms and Definitions

Concentration
Any substance that enters a system (the environment, human body, food, etc.) where it is not normally found. Contaminants are usually referred to in a "negative" sense and include substances that spoil food, pollute the environment or cause other adverse effects.

HMIS
The hazardous materials identification system, developed by NPCA to provide information on the acute health hazards, reactivity, and flammability encountered in the workplace at room temperatures.

Health registry
A record of people exposed to a specific substance (such as a heavy metal), or having a specific health condition (such as cancer or a communicable disease). New York State maintains several health registries.

National Toxicology Program (NTP)
NTP, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), coordinates the toxicology research being conducted within DHHS.

HSWA
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (1984); amendments to RCRA establishing a timetable for landfill bans and more stringent UST requirements.

Gradient
The change in a property over a certain distance. For example, lead can accumulate in surface soil near a road due to automobile exhaust. As you move away from the road, the amount of lead in the surface soil decreases. This change in the lead concentration with distance from the road is called a gradient.

Route of exposure
The way in which a person may contact a chemical substance. For example, drinking (ingestion) and bathing (skin contact) are two different routes of exposure to contaminants that may be found in water. See "Exposure".

Preliminary Site Assessment (PSA)
A process followed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to determine if a site contains hazardous waste and its potential for harming the public health or environment.

ACM
Asbestos-Containing Material

Agricultural pollution
The liquid and solid wastes from farming, including, runoff from pesticides, fertilizers, and feed- lots; erosion and dust from plowing; animal manure and carcasses, crop residues, and debris.