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Glossary of Terms
- A -
Abiotic Processes
Types of processes that are non-living and related to the environment. Examples include atmospheric stabilites, weather patterns, soil erosion and solar radiation.
Aboveground Storage Tank
A stationary tank which is situated above the ground on a cradle, skids, or wheels and which stores petroleum products and is designed, installed and operated in conformity with applicable standards, codes and regulations.
Abrogate
The initiation of an appeal of the order does not cancel or abolish the legality of the order itself, or the responsibility to comply with its terms with respect to an order. Therefore, the person making an appeal must still comply with the order.
Absolute Liability Offence.
An offence under the Clean Air Act where every person named in the offence assumes responsibility without fault or negligence.
Absorber Grade Sulphuric Acid
A specific grade of sulphuric acid manufactured by industrial facilities to be used as a liquid absorption medium in a scrubber or spray tower. See Scrubber.
Accumulator Tank
A device connected to a steam boiler, which collects excess steam to enable a uniform boiler output in meeting an irregular steam demand during various process operating conditions.
Acetaldehyde (CH3CHO)
An organic compound that consists of a carbonyl carbon bonded to a methyl group and hydrogen. Acetaldehyde is formed from the direct oxidation product of ethanol, and one of the most commonly found aldehydes. It is an important raw material for the formation of other aldehydes that have implications as medical uses (sedatives). It has an apple flavour and is used as a food additive.
Acetone (CH3COCH3)
An organic compound that consists of a carbonyl carbon bonded to two methyl groups, and one of the most common compounds found in the ketone group. Acetone is a non-toxic, flammable liquid that has a faint sweetish odour. An important laboratory and industrial solvent, and raw material for making plastics.
Acid Aerosols
Fine solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. These may include smoke particles, fly ash, soil dust, sea salt and other particles that react with acidic chemicals such as nitrogen and sulphur oxides and form low pH aerosols. Also see Aerosols.
Acid Deposition
A complex chemical and atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds and other substances are transformed by chemical processes in the atmosphere to acidic compounds, which are then deposited on earth in either a wet (rain, snow or fog) or dry (acidic gases or particulate) form.
Acid Deposition Monitoring Systems
Monitoring systems set up throughout the province of New Brunswick which consist of collecting samples of rain, snow, surface water, and airborne particles and have them analysing for acidity levels and chemical make-up.
Acid Deposition Network
Refers to the New Brunswick Department of Environment acid deposition monitoring systems set up throughout the province. The monitoring systems consist of collecting samples of rain, snow, surface water, and airborne particles and analysing them for acidity levels and chemical make-up.
Acid Recovery Tower
See Sulphur Dioxide Absorption Tower.
Acrolein
Part of the aldehyde group of organic compounds; a colourless to yellow liquid with a pungent odour. It is soluble in water, alcohol, and ether. It is used mainly in organic synthesis, pharmaceuticals manufacture and as a herbicide.
Administrative Penalty
A penalty imposed under section 31 of the Clean Air Act as a result of a violation of the Act. Voluntary payment of an administrative penalty does not result in a conviction under the Act.
Aeration
A process of oxygen circulation that promotes biological degradation of organic matter. The process may be passive (as when waste is exposed to air, naturally occurring), or active (as when a mixing or bubbling device introduces the air, mechanically induced).
Aeration Pond
A holding and/or treatment pond that contains an effluent with significant amounts of organic compounds that are required to be reduced before release to the natural environment is permitted. The pond allows the effluent to be aerated by natural means or mechanically, which stimulates the growth of micro-organisms. The microbials metabolise the organic compounds in the effluent and reduce the organic compounds to an allowable release level.
Aerosols
Fine solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere, including smoke particles, fly ash, soil dust, sea salt and other particles generated from chemical reactions in the air.
Aggregate Limestone
A construction material made from limestone, generally used as an aggregate to mix with liquid asphalt to make asphaltic concrete for the paving industry.
Aggregate Period
An entire period of specified time, for example, the smoke being emitted from an oil-fired heating plant stack cannot have a smoke density greater than number 2, on the smoke density chart, for an aggregate period greater than four minutes during any one half hour.
Aggrieved
Is any person that is negatively affected by the actions of an offender.
Air
Is the atmosphere, which does not include the atmosphere within a building or within the underground workings of a mine.
Air Pollution Control Device
Refers to equipment that is proven to reduce or control the quantity and quality of air contaminants being emitted from industrial sectors to the environment.
Air Quality Dispersion Modelling
A method, either by physical modelling or by computational techniques, that is used to forecast or predict the degree to which air quality at specific elevations and locations will be impacted from the release of air contaminants from specific source location. There are several empirical models that have been developed for use. These models require data on emissions from the source, local meteorological and topographical data.
Air Quality Regulation
The New Brunswick Regulation 97-133 filed under the Clean Air Act (O.C. 97-923).
Air Resource Management Areas (ARMA)
Areas established by the Minister throughout the province for the purposes of applying directives, programs, committees, regulations and provisions of the regulation or working to improve air quality in their specific region.
Airshed
Generally, a blanket of air over a region whose boundaries are transient as air masses and the pollutants they carry move rapidly over the earth's surface. More specifically, it is a concept used in crude computations of the air pollution concentrations to be expected from various pollution sources, expected air movement and chemical rates of change.
Alkali Plant
See Chlor-Alkali Plants.
Ambient Air
Refers to the surrounding air. Generally, refers to air outside and surrounding a source location.
Ambient Air Dispersion Modelling
See Air Quality Dispersion Modelling.
Ambient Air Quality Monitoring
The activity of monitoring air contaminant concentrations being experienced at specific elevations and locations adjacent to an air contaminant source or proposed air contaminant source (referred to as baseline monitoring). Generally, Ambient Air Quality Monitoring may be included as a condition of Approval for large air contaminant source locations including Pulp Mills, Oil Refineries, and Thermal Power Generating Plants.
Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Data
The information collected from the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring activities, this data includes but is not limited to information on calibration of the equipment, operating dates and duration, local meteorological conditions, and air contaminant levels. Also see Ambient Air Quality Monitoring.
Ambient Air Quality Requirements
See Maximum Permissible Ground Level Concentrations.
Ambient Air Sampling Program.
See Ambient Air Quality Monitoring.
Ambient Hi Volume Samplers
See Hi Volume Monitor.
Ambient Monitors
Equipment used for sampling, measuring, recording and/or signalling of specific air contaminant concentrations in the outside air at various elevations and locations surrounding an air contaminant source or proposed source.
Ambient Suspended Particulate Concentration
See Total Suspended Particulate.
Ameliorate, Ameliorating, Ameliorative
With respect to a situation, impact or action, means the act of improving or being improved.
Amendment
With respect to an Approval, means changing or modifying the Approval as deemed appropriate.
American Society for Testing and Materials Method ASTM D5191-96, Standard Test Method for Vapour Pressure of Petroleum Products (Mini-method)
Test method used to determine the vapour pressure of petroleum products.
Amine Scrubber
A device used to treat the tail gas from the Sulphur Recovery Plant in the oil refining process. The tail gas consists of hydrogen sulphide and similar hydrogenated sulphur compounds along with hydrocarbons. The cooled tail gas stream enters the bottom of the amine scrubber, which is usually a packed or trayed tower. The amine solution is alkaline and the weakly acidic hydrogen sulphide in the gas stream readily dissolves in the solution. The hydrocarbons are not affected by the amine solution and pass through the scrubber onto the next unit operation for refining. The acid and the base react to form a salt and hence collect the acid gases. The amine solution with the acid gas is then sent to a stripping tower where the acid gases are stripped from the amine solution and circulated for reuse in the amine scrubber. The stripped acid gases are sent on to the sulphur recovery plant for assisting in the formation of elemental sulphur.
Anaerobic
Are biological processes that occur without oxygen.
Anaerobic Effluent Treatment Plant
A facility where a treatment that utilizes anaerobic organisms are used to reduce organic matter in effluent stream. Sometimes used in the Pulp and Paper Industry as a method of effluent treatment.
Analyst
A person designated under section 27 of the Clean Air Act.
Ancillary Equipment
Additional equipment associated with a specific process unit. For example such devices as piping, fittings, flanges, valves, and pumps that are used to distribute, metre, or control the flow of a fluid in a process unit.
Anemometer
An instrument used for measuring wind speed.
Annealing Ovens
A furnace for annealing, or burning metals or glass.
Anniversary Date
As applied to an Approval, means the yearly recurring date of the initial issuance date provided on the Approval.
Annual Air Quality Summary Report
An Approval issued to source industries generally requires an annual air quality summary report to be prepared and submitted to the Department. The report typically includes a summary of all the ambient air quality monitoring and source testing activities undertaken by the industry during that operating year. The Department generally requires the report to be submitted at a designated date within the first quarter of the next operating year. Also see Ambient Air Quality Monitoring, Source Testing, and Approval.
Annual Unit Capacity Factor
The ratio of the average load on a machine or equipment measured once each year, to the capacity rating of the machine or equipment. Also see Capacity Factor.
Antimony (Sb)
A silvery-white, shiny, very brittle, readily pulverised element whose compounds are used in metal for letterpress printing, dye stuffs and lead-acid batteries.
Antimonial Slag
The non-metallic residue from the smelting of antimony that generally forms as a molten mass floating on the molten metal.
Appeal Regulation
The Appeal Regulation - Clean Air Act, being New Brunswick Regulation 97-131 under the Clean Air Act. It applies with the necessary modifications to an appeal from an order, designation or decision made under the Act or the Regulation.
Apprentice
An apprentice or a pre-apprentice as defined in the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act.
Approval
An Approval, issued under the Clean Air Act or the regulations, that has not expired or been suspended or cancelled.
ARMA Committees
Volunteers appointed by the Minister to represent various stakeholders in environmental management: industry, citizens, professional associations, local government, health professionals, interest groups, and business.
Ash
Is the inorganic matter and uncombusted carbon that is typically a solid residual of a combustion reaction. Some typical combustion reactions that generate ash include, but are not limited to, fuel oil, coal, and wood combustion.
Ash Collection
A process through which most of the ash generated from a combustion reaction is collected and prevented from being emitted to the atmosphere.
Ash Content
The mineral content of the residual that remains after the combustion. Ash Content is measured by chemical analysis of a particular batch of a given fuel. It is one of the major fuel parameters affecting air contaminant emissions from power boilers.
Ash Injection System
Refers to a system that collects the ash that is generated from combustion reactions of fossil fuels and injects the ash into the fossil fuel feed stream for further combustion. This process reduces the amount of ash emitted to the atmosphere.
Ash Reinjection System
An ash collection system that collects the ash material and reinjects the ash into the combustion chamber for further combustion.
Asphaltene
Any of the dark, solid constituents of crude oils and other bitumens, which are soluble in carbon disulphide, but insoluble in paraffin naphtas. They must hold most of the organic constituents of bitumens.
Astatine (At)
A radioactive element that is the heaviest of all the halogens. Although it has no stable form, it is capable of compound formation with other halogens, with oxygen, and with some organic groups.
Atmospheric Condenser
A condenser that operates at atmospheric pressure that can be used as a process stream preconditioning device (cooling process stream) or as an air pollution control technology to control the emissions of specific air contaminants. Also see Condenser.
Atmospheric Distillation Towers
Devices where boiling operations are conducted at atmospheric pressures. Also see Distillation Towers.
Atmospheric Stability
Relates to how much movement exists in the atmosphere. Specifically it reflects the susceptibility of rising air parcels to vertical motion and plays an integral part in establishing the dispersion rate of air contaminants being released to the atmosphere from source locations. The atmosphere is said to be unstable as long as a rising parcel of air remains warmer than the surrounding air; the parcel will continue in the direction of displacement. Conversely, when a rising parcel of air arrives at an altitude in a colder and denser state than the surrounding air; the displaced parcel of air is pushed earthward and away from the direction of displacement.
Atmospheric Storage Tank
A storage tank designed to operate at pressures from atmospheric pressure to three and one-half kilopascals above atmospheric pressure.
Auto-Calibration
Calibration that occurs automatically, generally as part of the start-up procedure of the specific ambient air quality monitor or continuous emission monitor. Also see Calibration.
Averaging Period
The period of time over which an arithmetic mean or geometric mean is calculated, as the case may be.