Environmental Terms and Definitions

Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC)
A system of procedures, checks and audits to judge and control the quality of measurements and reduce the uncertainty of data. Some quality control procedures include having more than one person review the findings and analyzing a sample at different times or laboratories to see if the findings are similar.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
ATSDR is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As mandated by the federal superfund law, the agency assesses health risks from hazardous waste sites on the National Priority List.

ACM
Asbestos-Containing Material

IDLH
Immediately dangerous to life and health. Used to determine selection of a respirator. The maximum concentration from which one could escape within 30 minutes without any escape-impairing symptoms or irreversible health effects. Also, IDLH conditions and conditions that would lead to an IDLH exposure.

ADI
Acceptable Daily Intake

Volatile organic compound (VOC)
An organic chemical that evaporates readily. Petroleum products such as kerosene, gasoline and mineral spirits contain VOCs. Chlorinated solvents such as those used by dry cleaners or contained in paint strippers are also VOCs. See "organic" and "volatile".

Remedial Investigation (RI)
An in-depth study (including sampling of air, soil, water and waste) of a contaminated site needing remediation to determine the nature and extent of contamination. The remedial investigation (RI) is usually combined with a feasibility study (FS).

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
The highest (maximum) level of a contaminant allowed to go uncorrected by a public water system under federal or state regulations. Depending on the contaminant, allowable levels might be calculated as an average over time, or might be based on individual test results.

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.

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.