Computers: Definitions
This glossary includes key terms from the Guide and may be used as a companion to the text.
Baseline |
basic information gathered before a program begins that is used later to provide a comparison for assessing program impact |
Brominated flame retardants |
hormone disrupting chemicals such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) that are added to computers and office electronics to reduce the risk of fire; see also polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). |
Cadmium |
bioaccumlative, toxic metal included in electronic equipment |
End-of-life management |
process by which products are disposed of after their term of useful service expires |
Environmentally preferable |
products and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared to other products and services that serve the same purpose. |
Hazardous substance |
1. material posing a threat to human health and/or the environment, that can be toxic, corrosive, ignitable, explosive, or chemically reactive 2. substance that must be reported to the EPA if released into the environment. |
Hexavalent chromium |
positive-6 valence chromium, considered a potential occupational carcinogen |
Mercury |
material used in electronic equipment that causes short term and chronic nervous system impairment to exposed individuals |
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) |
a class of flame retardant chemicals added to plastics that can enter the environment but do not degrade quickly or easily, see also diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) |
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) |
a class of flame retardant chemicals added to plastics that can enter the environment but do not degrade quickly or easily |
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
a substance made from vinyl chloride (a known carcinogen) and used in some plastics, see also "vinyl/polyvinyl chloride" |
Take-back |
policy whereby equipment can be returned to a manufacturer, distributor or recycler at the end of useful life |
Toxic substance |
a chemical or mixture that may present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment |
Typical Energy Consumption (TEC) |
a method of testing and comparing the energy performance of computers, which focuses on the typical electricity consumed by a product while in normal operation during a representative period of time |
Volatile organic compound (VOC) |
organic compound that typically vaporizes at room temperature and participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions |
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