Key Terms

Air stripping is the process of moving air through contaminated groundwater to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Biodegradation is the process by which bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms break down and disintegrate materials. Biodegradation is used to treat some hazardous wastes.

Cadmium is an extremely toxic metal that is commonly used in electroplating and other industrial processes. Cadmium causes cancer and other illnesses in humans.

Closure refers to the point in time when a regulated unit or a hazardous waste facility ceases operation.

Containment system refers to a system of barriers installed to prevent a hazardous waste spill from being released into the environment (for example, tanks, liners, dikes, or berms).

Corrective action management unit, or CAMU, refers to a physical area designated as a temporary place to locate hazardous waste during RCRA Corrective Action Program cleanup.

Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) are acutely toxic to human health and the environment. DLCs include chemical compounds such as polychlorinated and polybrominated biphenyls (PCBs and PBBs).

Drip pads are a type of containment system used in wood preserving facilities. Typically, they consist of a sloped concrete pad that drains excess chemical preservative into a tank.

Dry waste is waste that does not contain free liquids.

Flange refers to an internal or external collar or rim that is used to connect pipes, valves, and other components in a piping system. Flanges are usually welded or screwed.

Incinerators are devices that use controlled flames (or infrared heat or plasma arc) within a chamber. Hazardous waste incinerators are used specifically for the purpose of disposing of hazardous waste.

Land treatment refers to a method of hazardous waste management in which waste is treated either by being placed on or mixed into the soil. These units are also known as "land farms."

Post-closure refers to the period of time following closure. During this time owners and operators must continue to comply with RCRA regulations for their regulated units and TSDF.

Regulated unit is the RCRA term for solid waste management units that are used to treat hazardous waste (for example, surface impoundments, waste piles, land treatment units, and landfills).

Secondary containment system refers to barriers in addition to the container (the first layer of containment) that holds the waste itself (for example, a sloped concrete pad that drains into a tank or a concrete berm surrounding a double-lined tank).

Surface impoundments are above-ground areas in which hazardous wastes are treated, stored, or disposed of. They are bowl-shaped depressions that can be natural, excavated or diked areas.

Temporary units (TUs) are containers or tanks equipped to manage wastes during corrective action cleanups.

TSDF is an acronym used in RCRA regulations that refers to transfer, storage, and disposal facilities that handle hazardous waste.

Unit-specific regulations are the RCRA regulations that apply to specific solid waste management regulated units (for example, containers, tanks, waste piles, landfills, incinerators, and others).

To learn more about RCRA visit our RCRA Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.