Glossary of Sustainability Terms

“Advanced recycling” means a manufacturing process for the conversion of post-use polymers and recovered feedstocks into basic hydrocarbon raw materials, feedstocks, chemicals, liquid fuels, waxes, lubricants, or other products through processes that include pyrolysis, gasification, depolymerization, reforming, hydrogenation, solvolysis, catalytic cracking, and similar processes. “Advanced recycling” produces recycled products, including monomers, oligomers, plastics, plastics and chemical feedstocks, basic and unfinished chemicals, crude oil, naphtha, liquid transportation fuels, coatings, waxes, lubricants, and other basic hydrocarbons.

Source:
Code of Virginia

APA Source Citation
From Title 10.1. conservation. § 10.1-1400. Definitions. (2021). https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title10.1/chapter14/section10.1-1400/

Microbial breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. In a circular economy, anaerobic digestion can be used to convert food by-products, sewage sludge, and other biodegradable materials into digestates (or ‘biosolids’) that can be used as soil enhancers and biogas.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary).In the public domain.

Caused by man or resulting from human activities. Used in the context of greenhouse gas emissions produced as a result of human activities [such as burning fossil fuels or using electricity generated by burning fossil fuels.]
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Climate Change Terms
 
APA Source Citation
From Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System Glossary, by the Environmental Protection Agency, 2021 https://sor.epa.gov/sor_internet/registry/termreg/searchandretrieve/glossariesandkeywordlists/search.do?details=&glossaryName=CADDIS%20Glossary%20(2011). In the Public Domain.

General term that is used to describe the process by which organisms may accumulate chemical substances in their bodies.
 
Source:
EPA EcoBox Tools by Exposure Pathways – Food Chains | US EPA
 
APA Source Citation
From EPA EcoBox Tools, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/ecobox/epa-ecobox-tools-exposure-pathways-food-chains#:~:text=Bioaccumulation%20is%20the%20general%20term,eating%20food%20containing%20the%20chemical.. In the Public Domain.

1. commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) composed in whole or in significant part of biological products, forestry materials, or renewable domestic agricultural materials, including plant, animal, or marine materials.
2. product that meets the requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Biobased Products Procurement Program.

 
Source:
USDA Biopreffered Program Fact Sheet
 
APA Source Citation
From USDA Biopreffered Program Fact Sheet, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2016, https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2016/02/18/fact-sheet-overview-usdas-biopreferred-program

Term used to describe a product or package that will completely break down and return to nature, i.e., decompose into elements found in nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal. The Federal Trade Commission’s current Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (the so-called “FTC Green Guides”) require that such claims be substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence and qualified to the extent necessary to avoid consumer deception about: (1) the product or package’s ability to degrade in the environment where it is customarily disposed; and (2) the rate and extent of degradation.
 
Source:
FTC Green Guides
 
APA Source Citation
From Green Guides, by Federal Trade Commission, 2012, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising/green-guides

Any material or fuel produced by biological processes of living organisms, including organic non-fossil material of biological origin (e.g., plant material), biofuels, biogenic gas, and biogenic waste.
 
Source:
EPA Green Power Markets Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/glossary

Biomimicry is a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges.
 
Source:
Biomimicry Institute
 
APA Source Citation
From What is Biomimicry, by Biomimicry Institute, (n.d.), https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/

A secondary or incidental product of a manufacturing process (e.g. scrap or emissions).
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an atmospheric gas that is a major component of the carbon cycle. Although produced through natural processes, carbon dioxide is also released through human activities, such as the combustion of fossil fuels to produce electricity. Carbon dioxide is the predominate gas contributing to the greenhouse effect, and as such is known to contribute to climate change.
 
Source:
EPA Green Power Markets Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/glossary

A unit of measurement that can be used to compare the emissions of various greenhouse gases based on how long they stay in the atmosphere and how much heat they can trap. For example, over a period of 100 years, 1 pound of methane will trap as much heat as 21 pounds of carbon dioxide. Thus, 1 pound of methane is equal to 21 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents.
 
Source:
EPA Student’s Guide to Global Climate Change
 
APA Source Citation
From Student’s Guide to Global Climate Change, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://sor.epa.gov/sor_internet/registry/termreg/searchandretrieve/glossariesandkeywordlists/search.do;jsessionid=A8LOIVMjMf5o8w7Td5ekuX4_WeeAxSkbBIpTwoQWZliswDlkODbo!-1900068579?details=&vocabName=Global%20Climate%20Change

The total amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the atmosphere each year by a person, family, building, organization, or company. A person’s carbon footprint includes greenhouse gas emissions from fuel that an individual burns directly, such as by heating a home or riding in a car. It also includes greenhouse gases that come from producing the goods or services that the individual uses, including emissions from power plants that make electricity, factories that make products, and landfills where trash gets sent.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Climate Change Terms

Carbon leakage refers to the situation that may occur if, for reasons of costs related to climate policies, businesses were to transfer production to other countries with laxer emission constraints. This could lead to an increase in their total emissions. The risk of carbon leakage may be higher in certain energy-intensive industries.
 
Source:
European Union Emissions Trading Systems Website
 
 
APA Source Citation
From European Union Emissions Trading Systems Website, by European Comission, (n.d.), https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/eu-emissions-trading-system-eu-ets/free-allocation/carbon-leakage_en.

Carbon negative means, in effect, that you emit less than zero carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) greenhouse gasses. However, since it is impossible to emit a negative amount of carbon (or any other physical substance), being carbon negative refers to the net emissions you create. To be carbon negative means to offset more carbon, through carbon capture, sequestration, or avoidance, than you contribute to the environment.
 
Source:
Terrapass
 
APA Source Citation
From What Does It Mean to Be Carbon Negative, by Terrapass, 2021, https://terrapass.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-be-carbon-negative

See net zero definition.

Represent a quantity of GHG emissions reductions, measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) that occur as a result of a discrete project. The emissions reduction from that project can be sold to enable the purchaser/owner to claim those GHG reductions as their own. Renewable energy is one of many possible offset project types.
 
Source:
EPA Green Power Markets Glossary

Carbon dioxide is the most commonly produced greenhouse gas. Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change.
 
Source:
U.S. Geological Survey

The tracing of a product or commodity through a supply chain to determine whether the product meets the criteria of an eco-label and that the certified product is identifiable.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

EPA Chemicals of Concern is a list compiled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) containing chemical substances found to be harmful or toxic to human health and the environment.
 
Source:
EPA Chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act
 
APA Source Citation
From Chemicals Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/chemicals-under-tsca. In The Public Domain.

A systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. It is underpinned by a transition to renewable energy and materials. Transitioning to a circular economy entails decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. This represents a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

A circular economy keeps materials, products, and services in circulation for as long possible. A circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products.
 
Source:
EPA Circular Economy Basics
 
APA Source Citation
From What is a Circular Economy?, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/what-circular-economy, In the Public Domain.

A methodology to systematically identify and evaluate cleaner (less polluting, less toxic and less wasteful) production opportunities and facilitate their implementation.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/glossary-sustainable-manufacturing-terms#:~:text=Product%20Stewardship%3A%20A%20product%2Dcentered,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20products.

Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the “average weather,” or more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months to thousands of years. The classical period is three decades, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate system.
 
Source:
World Meteorological Organization

Any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from: natural factors, such as changes in the sun’s intensity or slow changes in the Earth’s orbit around the sun, natural processes within the climate system (e.g., changes in ocean circulation), human activities that change the atmosphere’s composition (e.g., through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g., deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification).
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Climate Change Terms

Concept of a state in which human activities result in no net effect on the climate system. Achieving such a state would require balancing of residual emissions with emission (carbon dioxide) removal as well as accounting for regional or local biogeophysical effects of human activities that, for example, affect surface albedo or local climate.
 
Source:
IPCC Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5ºC Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5  ͦC Glossary, by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018, https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/

Climate resilience can be generally defined as the capacity of a system to maintain function in the face of stresses imposed by climate change and to adapt the system to be better prepared for future climate impacts.
 
Source:
Climate Adaptation and EPA’s Role | US EPA
 
APA Source Citation
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Climate Adaptation and EPA’s Role. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/climate-adaptation/climate-adaptation-and-epas-role

A production system in which any industrial output is capable of being recycled to create another product.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

Composting is a controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic materials into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch through natural decomposition. The end product is compost – a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material. Microorganisms feed on the materials added to the compost pile during the composting process. They use carbon and nitrogen to grow and reproduce, water to digest materials, and oxygen to breathe.
 
Source:
EPA Composting At Home

The COP is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). All States that are Parties to the Convention are represented at the COP, at which they review the implementation of the Convention and any other legal instruments that the COP adopts and take decisions necessary to promote the effective implementation of the Convention, including institutional and administrative arrangements.
 
Source:
Conference of the Parties (COP) | UNFCCC

A form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model in which a business embraces responsibility for its actions and encourages a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, and stakeholders.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/glossary-sustainable-manufacturing-terms#:~:text=Product%20Stewardship%3A%20A%20product%2Dcentered,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20products.

An approach to the design of products that seeks to be essentially waste-free. All materials used are designated as either technical nutrients, which are non-toxic synthetic materials that are reused in continuous cycles, and biological nutrients, which can be disposed of into natural environments to decompose into the soil.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

The process by which countries, individuals or other entities aim to achieve zero fossil carbon existence. Typically refers to a reduction of the carbon emissions associated with electricity, industry and transport.
 
Source:
IPCC Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5ºC Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5  ͦC Glossary, by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018, https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/

The ability of a product, component or material to remain functional and relevant when used as intended. [Increasing the durability of a product is one way to increase the circularity of it if that durability will result in a longer time before a new product is needed.]
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) aims to significantly improve the sustainability of products placed on the EU market by improving their circularity, energy performance, recyclability and durability. The ESPR enables the setting of performance and information rules – known as ‘ecodesign requirements’ – for almost all categories of physical goods, including mattresses.
 
Source:
https://commission.europa.eu/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation_en

Ecolabels are marks placed on product packaging or in e-catalogs that can help consumers and institutional purchasers quickly and easily identify those products that meet specific environmental performance criteria and are therefore deemed “environmentally preferable”. Ecolabels can be owned or managed by government agencies, nonprofit environmental advocacy organizations, or private sector entities.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/glossary-sustainable-manufacturing-terms#:~:text=Product%20Stewardship%3A%20A%20product%2Dcentered,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20products.

Ecological processes or functions having monetary or non-monetary value to individuals or society at large. These are frequently classified as (1) supporting services such as productivity or biodiversity maintenance, (2) provisioning services such as food or fibre, (3) regulating services such as climate regulation or carbon sequestration, and (4) cultural services such as tourism or spiritual and aesthetic appreciation.
 
Source:
IPCC Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5ºC Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5  ͦC Glossary, by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018, https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/

Embodied carbon—also known as embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—refers to the amount of GHG emissions associated with upstream—extraction, production, transport, and manufacturing—stages of a product’s life. Many initiatives to track, disclose, and reduce embodied carbon emissions also consider emissions associated with the use of a product and its disposal.
 
Source:
EPA What is Embodied Carbon
 
 
APA Source Citation
From What is Embodied Carbon, by Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/what-embodied-carbon.

The release of a substance (usually a gas when referring to the subject of climate change) into the atmosphere.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Climate Change Terms

Many chemicals, both natural and man-made, may mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, known as the endocrine system. Called endocrine disruptors, these chemicals are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems.
 
Source:
National Institute of Health
 
APA Source Citation
From Endocringe Disruptors, by National Istitute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2023, https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm. In The Public Domain.

Refers to products or systems using less energy to do the same or better job than conventional products or systems. Energy efficiency saves energy, saves money on utility bills, and helps protect the environment by reducing the demand for electricity.
 
Source:
Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Any statement, assertion, or visual display about the environmental aspects of an organization, product, or process.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/glossary-sustainable-manufacturing-terms#:~:text=Product%20Stewardship%3A%20A%20product%2Dcentered,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20products.

A process of predicting and evaluating the environmental hazard & impact of a proposed project or development schemes, taking into account co-related socio-economic, culture, and impacts due to human activity, both beneficial and adverse effects.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

Set of processes and practices that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency. [For example, ISO 14001 is a standard for environmental management systems that companies can be audited against].
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/glossary-sustainable-manufacturing-terms#:~:text=Product%20Stewardship%3A%20A%20product%2Dcentered,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20products.

A declaration of a product’s performance with regard to different environmental parameters during the product’s life cycle. An EPD requires the gathering of quantified environmental data for a product with pre-set categories of parameters (raw material, energy use, etc.). Also includes additional product and company information.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

ESG describes a set of factors used to measure the non-financial impacts of particular investments and companies. The “E” captures energy efficiencies, carbon footprints, greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, biodiversity, climate change and pollution mitigation, waste management and water usage. The “S” covers labor standards, wages and benefits, workplace and board diversity, racial justice, pay equity, human rights, talent management, community relations, privacy and data protection, health and safety, supply-chain management and other human capital and social justice issues.The “G” covers the governing of the “E” and the “S” categories—corporate board composition and structure, strategic sustainability oversight and compliance, executive compensation, political contributions and lobbying, and bribery and corruption.
 
Source:
Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance: Introduction to ESG
 
APA Source Citation
From Introduction to ESG, by Mark S. Bergman, Ariel J. Deckelbaum, and Brad S. Karp, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, 2020, https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2020/08/01/introduction-to-esg/

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy approach that gives producers financial or physical responsibility for a product’s entire lifecycle, including the management or disposal of post-consumer products.
Note: Financing mechanisms for EPR programs vary by product category (e.g., mattresses, paint, batteries, electronics, etc.).
 
Source:
Extended producer responsibility and economic instruments | OECD
 
APA Source Citation
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (n.d.). Extended producer responsibility and economic instruments. OECD.

Materials that are non-renewable on timescales relevant to the economy, i.e. not geological timescales. Examples include: metals and minerals; fossil forms of carbon such as oil, coal, and natural gas; and sand, rocks, and stones.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

Fossil fuels are the nation’s principal source of electricity. Fossil fuels come in three major forms: coal, oil, and natural gas. Because fossil fuels are a finite resource and cannot be replenished once they are extracted and burned, they are not considered renewable.
 
Source:
EPA Green Power Markets Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/glossary

The Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides are designed to help marketers avoid making environmental claims that mislead consumers. The guidance they provide includes: 1) general principles that apply to all environmental marketing claims; 2) how consumers are likely to interpret particular claims and how marketers can substantiate these claims; and 3) how marketers can qualify their claims to avoid deceiving consumers.
 
Source:
FTC Green Guides
 
APA Source Citation
From Green Guides, by Federal Trade Commission, 2012, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising/green-guides

Green power is a subset of renewable energy. It represents those renewable energy resources and technologies that provide the greatest environmental benefit. Within the U.S. voluntary market, green power is defined as electricity produced from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and low-impact small hydroelectric sources.
 
Source:
EPA Green Power Markets Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/glossary

Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere, resulting in heat retention on the planet. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.
 
Source:
EPA Overview of Greenhouse Gases

Green hushing is a relatively new concept that refers to businesses purposely remaining quiet regarding their sustainability progress and goals, even if they are doing well, for fear they will be labelled as greenwashers. It is simply playing down your environmental policies out of concern that disclosing them may diminish the credibility of your company or have unfavourable effects on your business.
 
Source
Greenwashing vs Green hushing
 
APA Source Citation
Loughlin, B. (2023, December 30). Greenwashing vs green hushing. Institute of Sustainability Studies.

Greenwashing is the act of exaggerating the extent to which products or services take into account environmental and sustainability factors. Funds and advisers that engage in greenwashing may exaggerate or overstate the environmental and sustainability practices or factors considered in their investment products or services, while labeling and marketing themselves in a manner that makes it difficult for investors to distinguish them from funds and advisers that are truly using environmental and sustainability strategies. Other entities or industry professionals may also engage in greenwashing. For example, companies may exaggerate or overstate the environmental and sustainability aspects of their products or services or make unsupported claims about taking environmental or sustainability actions.
 
Source:
Securities and Exchange Commission Introduction to Investing Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Greenwashing, by United States Securities and Exchange Comission, (n.d.), https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/glossary/greenwashing. In The Public Domain.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.
 
Source:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation (IFRS) sets standards used globally for financial reporting that improve the communication between companies and investors. IFRS is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded on the belief that better information from companies leads to better investment decisions. Their standards—called IFRS Standards—boost transparency, comparability and trust in financial reporting. Responding to the need for consistent and comparable sustainability information to inform economic and investment decisions, in 2021 the IFRS Foundation created the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
 
Source
https://www.ifrs.org/about-us/who-we-are/#about-us

ISO standards are developed by an international body in order to establish requirements, specifications, guidelines, or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes, and services are fit for their purpose. Two examples of ISO standards are ISO 14001 for environmental management systems and ISO 50001 for energy management systems.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

Today, sustainability-related information—information about the risks and opportunities arising from a company’s interactions with its stakeholders, society, the economy and the natural environment—is increasingly integral to economic and investment decisions. Responding to the demand for such information, the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation (IFRS) created the ISSB. The purpose of the ISSB is to empower capital market participants with the right information to support better economic and investment decision-making. The ISSB uses a transparent, rigorous due process to develop market-informed standards that enable companies to disclose decision-useful, comparable information; and consolidate the ‘alphabet soup’ of voluntary sustainability-reporting initiatives.
 
Source
https://www.ifrs.org/sustainability/knowledge-hub/introduction-to-issb-and-ifrs-sustainability-disclosure-standards/#:~:text=Today%2C%20sustainability%2Drelated,sustainability%2Dreporting%20initiatives

Shorthand for the seven greenhouse gases specified in the Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane(CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).
 
Source:
Greenhouse Gas Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997. Owing to a complex ratification process, it entered into force on 16 February 2005. Currently, there are 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. In short, the Kyoto Protocol operationalizes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by committing industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets. The Convention itself only asks those countries to adopt policies and measures on mitigation and to report periodically.
 
Source:
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

All waste (or at least 90%) generated from operations is reused, recycled, or converted to energy.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

Consecutive and interlinked stages of a product (good or service), from the extraction of natural resources to the final disposal.
 
Source:
International Organization for Standardization

A life cycle assessment (LCA) is a process for evaluating the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity. LCAs identify and quantify energy and material users and releases to the environment. The assessment covers the entire life-cycle of the product, process, or activity, including extracting and processing the raw materials; manufacturing, transporting, and distributing the product; product use, reuse, and maintenance; recycling; and final disposal.
 
Source:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impacts
 
APA Source Citation
From Life Cycle Assessemnt: Quantifying Environmental Impacts, by MIT Professional Education, (n.d.), https://professional.mit.edu/course-catalog/life-cycle-assessment-quantifying-environmental-impacts#:~:text=Life%20cycle%20assessment%20(LCA)%20is,implementing%20opportunities%20to%20affect%20environmental

A systematic set of procedures for compiling and examining the inputs and outputs of materials and energy and the associated environmental impacts directly attributable to the functioning of a product throughout its life cycle.
 
Source:
United Nations Environment Program Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary, by United Nations, 2006, https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/resource-efficiency/why-does-resource-efficiency-matter/glossary. In The Public Domain.

A mostly qualitative approach to understand how our choices influence what happens at each of the stages of the life cycle of an industrial activity: from raw material acquisition through manufacture, distribution, product use and disposal. This approach is needed in order to balance trade-offs and positively impact the economy, the environment, and society.
 
Source:
United Nations Environment Program Glossary

An economy in which finite resources are extracted to make products that are used – generally not to their full potential – and then thrown away.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Introduction, by Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2021, https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary

“Material” simply means “having real importance or great consequences,” and the materiality assessment offers the most effective way to determine which ESG issues are most important or consequential for an organization. The process engages internal and external stakeholders in identifying relevant issues and gauging their relative significance based on their potential impact on the organization and their importance to stakeholders.
 
Source:
Sphera
 
APA Source Citation
From What is a Materiality Assessment?, by Kris Dubey, 2022, https://sphera.com/spark/what-is-a-materiality-assessment/

Processing of plastics [or other] waste into secondary raw material or products without significantly changing the chemical structure of the material.
 
Source:
UNEP Plastic Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From UNEP Plastic Glossary, by the United Nation’s Environment Program, (n.d.), https://leap.unep.org/en/knowledge/toolkits/plastic/glossary

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is the landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). When released into the atmosphere, those chemicals damage the stratospheric ozone layer, Earth’s protective shield that protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Adopted on 16 September 1987, the Protocol is to date one of the rare treaties to achieve universal ratification. The Montreal Protocol phases down the consumption and production of the different ODS in a step-wise manner, with different timetables for developed and developing countries (referred to as “Article 5 countries”). Under this treaty, all parties have specific responsibilities related to the phase-out of the different groups of ODS, control of ODS trade, annual reporting of data, national licensing systems to control ODS imports and exports, and other matters. Developing and developed countries have equal but differentiated responsibilities, but most importantly, both groups of countries have binding, time-targeted and measurable commitments.
 
Source:
United Nations Environment Program
 
APA Source Citation
From About Montreal Protocol, by the United Nations, (n.d.), https://www.unep.org/ozonaction/who-we-are/about-montreal-protocol

The FDA informally considers “natural” to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic (including colors regardless of source, including the addition of beet juice) is included in, or has been added to, the product that would not normally be expected to be there.
 
Source:
Food and Drug Administration eCFR :: 21 CFR 101.22
 
APA Source Citation
From Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations by Food and Drug Administration, 2023, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-B/section-101.22. In The Public Domain

Cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance.
 
Source:
United Nations Net Zero Coalition
 
APA Source Citation
From For a livable climate:
Net-zero commitments must be backed by credible action, by United Nations, (n.d.), https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition

Materials that have been previously used. This includes: materials in products that have been reused, refurbished or repaired; components that have been remanufactured; materials that have been recycled.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

A recycling process in which materials from old products are made into new products in a manner that changes the inherent properties of the materials.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

(specific to U.S. food/fiber) marketing label that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced and certified under the authority of the U. S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (NOP) using approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.
 
Source:
USDA Organic

The Earth’s ozone layer protects all life from the sun’s harmful radiation, but human activities have damaged this shield. Less ozone-layer protection from ultraviolet (UV) light will, over time, damage crops and lead to higher skin cancer and cataract rates. When chlorine and bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. Ozone can be destroyed more quickly than it is naturally created.
 
Source:
EPA Basic Ozone Layer Science

To tackle climate change and its negative impacts, world leaders at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris reached a breakthrough on 12 December 2015: the historic Paris Agreement. The Agreement sets long-term goals to guide all nations: substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius while pursuing efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5 degrees; review countries’ commitments every five years; provide financing to developing countries to mitigate climate change, strengthen resilience and enhance abilities to adapt to climate impacts. The Agreement is a legally binding international treaty. It entered into force on 4 November 2016. Today, 194 Parties (193 States plus the European Union) have joined the Paris Agreement. The Agreement includes commitments from all countries to reduce their emissions and work together to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and calls on countries to strengthen their commitments over time. The Agreement provides a pathway for developed nations to assist developing nations in their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts while creating a framework for the transparent monitoring and reporting of countries’ climate goals. The Paris Agreement provides a durable framework guiding the global effort for decades to come. It marks the beginning of a shift towards a net-zero emissions world. Implementation of the Agreement is also essential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
 
Source:
United Nations | The Paris Agreement

Capable of being decomposed by the action of light, especially sunlight.
 
Source:
National Institute of Health
 
APA Source Citation
From Photodegradation and photostabilization of polymers, especially polystyrene: review, by Emad Yousef and Raghad Haddad, 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4320144/#:~:text=Photodegradation%20is%20degradation%20of%20a,visible%20light%2C%20and%20ultraviolet%20light.

Risks related to the physical impacts of climate change. These risks can be event driven (acute) or associated with longer-term shifts in climate patterns (chronic). Physical risks may have financial implications for organizations, such as direct damage to assets and indirect impacts from supply chain disruption. [For example, floods, wildfires, and rising sea levels over time.]
 
Source:
EPA Climate Risks and Opportunities Defined
 
APA Source Citation
From, Climate Risks and Opportunities Defined, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/climate-risks-and-opportunities-defined#transition

Materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream after consumer use.
 
Source:
FTC Green Guides

Materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream during the manufacturing process, excluding spilled raw materials and scraps that undergo only a minimal amount of reprocessing and are normally reused in the original manufacturing process. [ Also known as post-industrial recycled materials].
 
Source:
FTC Green Guides

A Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) is a nonprofit organization established to administer a producer responsibility program, which is a statewide program for the responsible management of covered products.
 
Source
https://www.oregon.gov/deq/rulemaking/Documents/rec2023m13faq.pdf
 
APA Source Citation
Introductory Frequently Asked Questions on Producer Responsibility Organizations . Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. (n.d.).

Product Category Rules (PCRs) are sets of rules and requirements that guide how to measure and report the life cycle impact of a specific type of product when conducting an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). PCRs are specific to each product category and are always based on the ISO 14025 standard for Type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). PCRs establish explicit scopes, assumptions, boundaries, data quality, and reporting requirements for EPDs. Manufacturers use PCRs in combination with the ISO 21930 standard to create EPDs.
 
Source:
Labeling Sustainability
 
APA Source Citation
From What is a Product Category Rule (PCR), by  Labelingsustainability, (n.d.), https://www.labelingsustainability.com/post/what-is-a-product-category-rule

A product life cycle is an assessment of resource consumption, performance, and environmental impacts at each phase of an industrial product’s life. It consists of the extraction of raw materials, the processing of those materials, manufacturing, shipping, use, maintenance, and finally disposal or recycling.
 
Source:
EPA National Service Center for Environmental Publications

The period of time from when a product is released for use after manufacture to the moment it becomes obsolete beyond recovery at product level.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

Product stewardship is a product-centered approach to environmental protection. Also known as extended product responsibility (EPR), product stewardship calls on those in the product life cycle—manufacturers, retailers, users, and disposers—to share responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts of products.
 
Source:
EPA Basic Information | Product Stewardship
 
APA Source Citation
From Basic Information, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://archive.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/tools/stewardship/web/html/basic.html

Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, was enacted as a ballot initiative in November 1986. The proposition protects California’s drinking water sources from being contaminated with chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, and requires businesses to inform Californians about exposures to such chemicals. Proposition 65 requires the state to maintain and update a list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.
 
Source:
California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

Identifies material that can be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream for reuse, or in the manufacture or assembly of another package or product, through an established recycling program.
 
Source:
FTC Green Guides

Transform a product or component into its basic materials or substances and reprocessing them into new materials.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

Materials recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (pre-consumer), or after consumer use (post-consumer) that are incorporated into a new product.
 
Source:
FTC Green Guides

Regenerative production provides food and materials in ways that support positive outcomes for nature, which include but are not limited to: healthy and stable soils, improved local biodiversity, improved air and water quality.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

A form of product recovery that involves rebuilding, repairing, and/or restoring parts or an instrument to match the same consumer expectations as new machines.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/glossary-sustainable-manufacturing-terms#:~:text=Product%20Stewardship%3A%20A%20product%2Dcentered,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20products.

The term renewable energy generally refers to electricity supplied from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, geothermal, hydropower, and various forms of biomass. These energy sources are considered renewable sources because their fuel sources are continuously replenished. They do not include nuclear, coal, oil, or gas-based energy.
 
Source:
EPA Green Power Markets Glossary

Also known as green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates. RECs represent the technology and energy attributes of electricity generated from renewable sources. RECs are usually sold in 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) units. A certificate can be sold separately from the underlying generic electricity with which it is associated. Once the REC is sold separately from the underlying electricity, the electricity is no longer considered renewable. RECs provide buyers flexibility to offset a percentage of their annual electricity use when green power products may not be available locally.
 
Source:
EPA Green Power Markets Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Glossary, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/glossary. In The Public Domain.

A natural resource which will replenish to replace the portion depleted by usage and consumption, either through natural reproduction or other recurring processes in a finite amount of time in a human time scale.
 
Source:
Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation

Operation by which a faulty or broken product or component is returned back to a usable state to fulfil its intended use.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

Supply chains dedicated to the reverse flow of products and materials for the purpose of maintenance, repair, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, or regenerating natural systems.
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

The potential for adverse consequences where something of value is at stake and where the occurrence and degree of an outcome is uncertain. In the context of the assessment of climate impacts, the term risk is often used to refer to the potential for adverse consequences of a climate-related hazard, or of adaptation or mitigation responses to such a hazard, on lives, livelihoods, health and well-being, ecosystems and species, economic, social and cultural assets, services (including ecosystem services), and infrastructure. Risk results from the interaction of vulnerability (of the affected system), its exposure over time (to the hazard), as well as the (climate-related) hazard and the likelihood of its occurrence.
 
Source:
IPCC Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5ºC Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5  ͦC Glossary, by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018, https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/

Emissions from operations that are owned or controlled by the reporting company. [For example, emissions from company vehicles and facilities].
 
Source:
EPA Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance
 
APA Source Citation
From Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2022, https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/scope-1-and-scope-2-inventory-guidance. In The Public Domain.

Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat or cooling consumed by the reporting company. [For example, electricity purchased from a local electrical grid].
 
Source:
EPA Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance
 
APA Source Citation
From Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2022, https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/scope-1-and-scope-2-inventory-guidance. In The Public Domain.

All indirect emissions (excluding Scope 2 emissions) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions. [For example, emissions from purchased goods and services, waste disposal, and employee commuting].
 
Source:
EPA scope 3 Inventory Guidance
 
APA Source Citation
From Scope 3 Inventory Guidance, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/scope-3-inventory-guidance

Source reduction, also known as waste prevention, means reducing waste at the source, and is the most environmentally preferred strategy. It can take many different forms, including reusing or donating items, buying in bulk, reducing packaging, redesigning products, and reducing toxicity. Source reduction also is often important in manufacturing. Lightweighting of packaging, reuse, and remanufacturing are all becoming more popular business trends. Purchasing products that incorporate these features supports source reduction.
 
Source
Sustainable Materials Management: Non-Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Hierarchy | US EPA
 
APA Source Citation
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-b). Sustainable Materials Management: Non-Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Hierarchy. EPA.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires advertisers to provide a reasonable basis for advertising and marketing claims. The process of demonstrating that reasonable basis is called claim substantiation, and it is important for companies marketing and selling consumer products in the US to understand the process of claim substantiation, including how to test claims and use disclosures to qualify claims. This update also discusses substantiation of health claims, comparative advertisements, environmental marketing claims, and US origin (Made in USA) claims.
 
Source:
Staking a Claim: The Basics of FTC Claim Substantiation | Practical Law (westlaw.com)
 
APA Source Citation
From Staking a Claim: The Basics of FTC Claim Substantiation, by Practical Law Commercial Transactions, 2017, https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/Iffc05c09d69011e698dc8b09b4f043e0/Staking-a-Claim-The-Basics-of-FTC-Claim-Substantiation?viewType=FullText&contextData=%28sc.Default%29&transitionType=Default

A system of organizations, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer.
 
Source:
United Nations Department of Operational Support

The integration of environmental health, social equity and economic vitality in order to create thriving, healthy, diverse and resilient communities for this generation and generations to come. The practice of sustainability recognizes how these issues are interconnected and requires a systems approach and an acknowledgement of complexity.
 
Source:
UCLA sustainability Committee

Dynamic and evolving concept, which aims to maintain and enhance the economic, social and environmental values of all types of forests, for the benefit of present and future generations.
 
Source:
Background | SFM Toolbox | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)

The use of land resources, including soils, water, animals and plants, for the production of goods to meet changing human needs, while simultaneously ensuring the long-term productive potential of these resources and the maintenance of their environmental functions.
 
Source:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Sustainable manufacturing (also called sustainable design or green design) is the creation of manufactured products through economically-sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. Sustainable manufacturing also protects employee, community, and consumer safety.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms

Sustainable procurement means making sure that the products and services we buy are as sustainable as possible, with the lowest environmental impact and most positive social results.
 
Source:
United Nations Development Program

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) created the TCFD to develop recommendations on the types of information that companies should disclose to support investors, lenders, and insurance underwriters in appropriately assessing and pricing a specific set of risks—risks related to climate change. In 2017, the TCFD released climate-related financial disclosure recommendations designed to help companies provide better information to support market transparency and more informed capital allocation. Their disclosure recommendations are structured around four thematic areas that represent core elements of how companies operate: governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. Note: Concurrent with the release of its 2023 status report on October 12, 2023, the TCFD has fulfilled its remit and disbanded.
 
Source
https://www.fsb-tcfd.org/

Risks related to the transition to a lower-carbon economy. They are associated with the pace and extent at which an organization manages and adapts to the internal and external pace of change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to renewable energy. [For example,  carbon taxes, carbon disclosure mandates, or the costs of transition to renewable energy].
 
Source:
EPA Climate Risks and Opportunities Defined
 
APA Source Citation
From, Climate Risks and Opportunities Defined, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, (n.d.), https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/climate-risks-and-opportunities-defined#transition

In the context of climate change, transparency refers to the reliable measurement, accessible reporting, and expert review of the progress made by an entity towards achieving its climate goals and pledges.
 
Source:
United Nations Development Program | Climate Promise

The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. Today, it has near-universal membership. The 198 countries that have ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention. Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system is the ultimate aim of the UNFCCC.
 
Source:
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

A universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. The 17 Goals were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which set out a 15-year plan to achieve the Goals. The SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
 
Source:
United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda
 
APA Source Citation
From The Sustainable Development Agenda, by United Nations, (n.d.), https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/

The entire sequence of activities or parties that provide or receive value in the form of products or services (e.g. suppliers, outsources workers, contractors, investors, R&D, customers, consumers, members).
 
Source:
United Nations Environment Program Glossary

Materials that have not yet been used in the economy. These include both finite materials (e.g. iron ore mined from the ground) and renewable resources (e.g. newly produced cotton).
 
Source:
Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Glossary
 
APA Source Citation
From Circular Economy Glossary, by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, (n.d.) (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary). In the public domain.

Volatile organic compounds are compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility.
 
Source:
EPA Indoor Air Quality
 
APA Source Citation
From What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?, by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-are-volatile-organic-compounds-vocs#:~:text=Air%20Quality%20(IAQ)-,What%20are%20volatile%20organic%20compounds%20(VOCs)%3F,paints%2C%20pharmaceuticals%2C%20and%20refrigerants.

VCS are technical documents, such as test methods, specifications, and terminology, that are developed or adopted by VCS bodies using procedures that have safeguards to ensure that the standards development process is open to all interested parties, and that all input and viewpoints are taken into account and treated fairly. VCS bodies are generally private sector, not-for-profit entities such as organizations, associations or technical societies.
 
Source:
EPA Voluntary Consensus Standards

Waste characterization means finding out how much paper, glass, food waste, etc. is discarded in your waste stream. Waste characterization information helps in planning how to reduce waste, set up recycling programs, and conserve money and resources.
 
Source:
CalRecycle Waste Characterization Webpage

EPA developed the non-hazardous materials and waste management hierarchy in recognition that no single waste management approach is suitable for managing all materials and waste streams in all circumstances. The hierarchy ranks the various management strategies from most to least environmentally preferred. The hierarchy places emphasis on reducing, reusing, recycling and composting as key to sustainable materials management. These strategies reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
 
Source:
EPA Sustainable Materials Management

The volume of freshwater used and then evaporated or incorporated into a product. It also includes water abstracted from surface or groundwater in a catchment and returned to another catchment or the sea.
 
Source:
UN Global Compact Corporate Water Disclosure Glossary

The possibility of an entity experiencing a water-related challenge (e.g., water scarcity, water stress, flooding, infrastructure decay, drought).
 
Source:
UN Global Compact Corporate Water Disclosure Glossary

Water scarcity refers to the volumetric abundance, or lack thereof, of freshwater resources. Scarcity is human driven; it is a function of the volume of human water consumption relative to the volume of water resources in a given area.
 
Source:
UN Global Compact Corporate Water Disclosure Glossary

A system-wide approach that seeks to maximize recycling, minimize waste, reduce consumption, and ensure that products are designed to be reused, repaired, or recycled back into the environment or marketplace.
 
Source:
EPA Glossary of Sustainable Manufacturing Terms