Re Unit 3

Front 1

Asbestos

Back 1

A mineral once used in insulation and other materials that can cause respiratory diseases.

Front 2

Encapsulation

Back 2

A method of controlling environmental contamination by sealing off a dangerous substance.

Front 3

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Back 3

A colorless, odorless gas that occurs as a natural by-product of combustion that in high concentrations can cause serious health problems and even death. Malfunctioning or improperly ventilated fuel-burning equipment (furnaces, stoves, and fireplaces) are often the culprits.

Front 4

Mold

Back 4

A form of fungus that can be found almost anywhere and can grow on almost any organic substance, so long as moisture, oxygen, and an organic food source are present. Mold growth can gradually destroy what it is growing on as well as cause serious health problems.

Front 5

Lead

Back 5

An element found in oil-based paint and plumbing systems that when ingested in sufficient quantities over time can pose significant health problems. Real estate licensees and certain others are required to comply with the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act when dealing with housing constructed before 1978.

Front 6

Radon

Back 6

A naturally occurring gas that is suspected of posing a health hazard, especially causing lung cancer.

Front 7

Formaldehyde

Back 7

A colorless chemical air pollutant used to manufacture building materials and many household products, such as particleboard, hardwood plywood paneling, and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation.

Front 8

Urea-formaldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI)

Back 8

Insulating foam that can release harmful formaldehyde gases.

Front 9

Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)

Back 9

The movement of electrical currents, especially noticeable around high-voltage lines, secondary transmission lines, and transformers, that some people assert is a health hazards.

Front 10

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Back 10

Used as an insulating material in dielectric oil. It can linger in the environment for long periods and can cause health problems.

Front 11

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Back 11

Nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators. CFCs are safe in application but cause ozone depletion.

Front 12

Groundwater

Back 12

Water that exists under the earth's surface within the tiny spaces or crevices in geological formations.

Front 13

Water Table

Back 13

The natural level at which the ground is saturated. The water table may be several hundred feet underground or near the surface.

Front 14

Underground Storage Tanks (USTs)

Back 14

Commonly found on sites where petroleum products are used or where gas stations and auto repair shops are located. In residential areas, USTs are used to store heating oil. Over time, neglected USTs may leak hazardous substances into the environment.

Front 15

Brownfields

Back 15

Contaminated properties that have long sat idle because of significant pollution associated with their prior industrial use.

Front 16

Small Business Liability Relief And Brownfields Revitalization Act

Back 16

Federal legislation allowing certain contaminated industrial or commercial properties to become economically viable by allowing prospective purchasers and their lenders relief from liability for past contamination that they did not cause. Also known as the Brownfields Act.

Front 17

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, And Liability Act (CERCLA)

Back 17

A law administered by the Environmental Protection Agency that established a process for identifying waste sites, forcing liable parties to clean up toxic sites, bringing legal action against responsible parties, and funding the abatement of toxic sites.

Front 18

Superfund Amendments And Reauthorization Act (SARA)

Back 18

An amendatory statute that contains stronger cleanup standards for contaminated sites, increased funding for the Superfund, and clarifications of lender liability and innocent landowner immunity.

Front 19

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

Back 19

An evaluation of property to show that due care was exercised in the determination of environmental impairments.

Front 20

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Back 20

A statement that details the effect a federally funded project will have on the environment.