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Sector glossary

E-Waste Recycling Glossary

The E-Waste Recycling glossary covers 338 plain-English terms used across the E-waste business in India. E-waste — collection, dismantling, PCB processing, precious-metal recovery, and EPR compliance terms. You'll find 116 technical concepts, 85 acronyms, 39 commercial metrics, 62 regulatory references, and 36 safety cautions — explained without jargon, with examples grounded in how Indian E-waste plants actually run. Whether you're researching the E-waste sector for the first time, evaluating EPC vendors, or briefing internal teams, this E-Waste Recycling glossary gives you a shared vocabulary. Use the search box below, jump by letter, or click any term for the full definition with FAQs and related concepts.

338

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Jun 15, 2026

Last updated

E-waste

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A 23 terms

  • A-weighted scale (A-weighting, dB(A)) — The A-weighted scale, written dB(A), is a frequency weighting applied to sound measurements so they reflect how the…
  • AAS (atomic absorption spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectrometry) — AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy) is a laboratory technique that measures lead, arsenic, nickel and other heavy…
  • acoustic enclosure (acoustic hood, sound enclosure) — An acoustic enclosure is a sound-insulating structure built around noisy equipment, most commonly a diesel generator…
  • Adsorption — A surface phenomenon where molecules from a gas or liquid bind to the surface of a solid material without penetrating…
  • aggregator (scrap aggregator (in waste context), waste aggregator) — In India's waste sector, an aggregator is an intermediary that consolidates dry recyclables from multiple kabadiwalas…
  • Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (Air Act, Air Act 1981) — The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 is the central Indian law that established the framework for…
  • Air Act (Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, Air Pollution Act India) — The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 is India's primary law for controlling industrial air…
  • Air classifier (air separation, zig-zag classifier) — An air classifier separates materials by density using an upward air stream, dividing lightweight fractions…
  • air ejection (air ejection, air ejector) — The actuation mechanism in every optical sorter — a row of high-speed solenoid valves that fire precisely timed…
  • Alpha emitter (alpha emitter, alpha-emitting radionuclide) — An alpha emitter is a radioactive material that releases alpha particles (helium nuclei) when it decays. The effluent…
  • alternator (AC generator, genset alternator) — An alternator is the electrical machine that converts the mechanical rotation of an engine into alternating-current…
  • Ambient Air Quality (ambient air, AAQ) — Ambient air quality is the quality of air in the open environment that people, plants and animals actually breathe in…
  • ambient noise standards (ambient noise standard, noise standards) — Ambient noise standards are the legal maximum noise levels, measured in dB(A), that an area must stay within. In…
  • Ammoniacal nitrogen (ammonia nitrogen, NH3-N) — Ammoniacal nitrogen is ammonia-nitrogen (as N) dissolved in water. The inland surface water, public sewers and marine…
  • Annexure-I (Annexure-I, Annexure I) — Annexure-I is a schedule appended to the effluent discharge standards specifying additional parameters and conditions…
  • Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs) (Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs), AMC) — An Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) is a yearly service agreement between a plant operator and an equipment supplier…
  • Anode Bake Oven (anode baking furnace, anode bake furnace) — An anode bake oven is a furnace in aluminium smelters that bakes carbon-paste anodes to harden them. It emits…
  • antistatic (antistatic, anti-static) — Of a material, coating, or treatment that prevents the build-up of static electrical charge. Antistatic filter bags,…
  • arsenic (arsenic, As) — A toxic semi-metal (metalloid) used in GaAs semiconductors found in LEDs, high-frequency chips, and laser diodes.…
  • Asbestos (asbestos fibres, asbestos dust) — Asbestos is a banned fibrous mineral once used in insulation and roofing; inhaling its fibres causes mesothelioma and…
  • ASME (ASME, American Society of Mechanical Engineers) — American Society of Mechanical Engineers — the professional body that publishes widely adopted codes and standards…
  • austenitic stainless steel (300-series stainless steel) — The most widely used family of stainless steels, characterised by a face-centred cubic crystal structure,…
  • authorisation (authorisation, authorization) — Authorisation is the statutory permission issued under rules such as the Hazardous Waste Rules or Plastic Waste…

B 18 terms

  • baghouse (baghouse, baghouse filter) — A dust collector that filters process air through fabric bags or cartridges, capturing fine particulate matter…
  • ball mill (ball mill, ball milling) — A grinding mill that tumbles free-moving steel or ceramic balls inside a rotating cylindrical drum to crush material…
  • Bank Guarantee (bank guarantee, BG) — A written commitment from a bank to pay a regulator a specified sum if the industrial unit fails to meet a consent…
  • base metals (base metals, common metals) — Common, high-volume metals — primarily copper, aluminium, iron, nickel, tin, and zinc — that form the bulk by weight…
  • BAT (best available technology, best available techniques) — BAT stands for Best Available Technology — the most effective and practical treatment methods available that can…
  • beryllium (beryllium, Be) — A toxic light metal used in spring connectors, heat sinks, and certain relay contacts in electronics. Beryllium dust…
  • Best Available Technology (BAT, best available techniques) — Best Available Technology (BAT) is the most effective and practical treatment method available that can achieve…
  • Beta emitter (beta emitter, beta-emitting radionuclide) — A beta emitter is a radioactive material that releases beta particles (electrons or positrons) on decay. The effluent…
  • BFR (BFR, BFRs) — Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) are chemical additives in plastics and PCBs that prevent ignition. Their presence…
  • BFRs (BFRs, BFR) — Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) are a class of chemical additives containing bromine, incorporated into plastics,…
  • Bio-assay test (bioassay test, fish bioassay) — The bio-assay test is a toxicity test using live fish — 90% must survive after 96 hours in 100% effluent. It confirms…
  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD, BOD3) — Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is the oxygen micro-organisms need to break down organic matter in water over a set…
  • Biological treatment (biological treatment, bio-treatment) — Biological treatment is the use of bacteria, fungi or other micro-organisms to break down organic pollutants in…
  • BOD (BOD, BOD5) — BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) is the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by microorganisms when decomposing organic…
  • break-even utilisation (break-even capacity utilisation, minimum viable utilisation) — Break-even utilisation is the minimum percentage of installed capacity at which a recycling plant's total revenue…
  • Brewery (brewery, beer brewery) — A brewery is a beer-manufacturing facility. The wastewater generation benchmark is 0.25 m³ per kilolitre of beer…
  • brominated flame retardants (BFR, BFRs) — Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) are a class of fire-resistant additives used in electronic plastics and PCBs that…
  • bulk consumer (bulk consumers, bulk user) — A bulk consumer is a regulatory entity class under India's E-Waste Rules — large institutional users such as…

C 38 terms

  • cadmium (Cd, cadmium toxicity) — Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal found in nickel-cadmium (NiCd) rechargeable batteries and older electronics. It is a…
  • CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate, compounded annual growth rate) — CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) is the rate at which an investment, revenue, or market grows from an initial value…
  • Calcination (calcining, calcine) — Calcination is the thermal treatment that drives off volatile or chemically combined moisture and CO₂ from minerals…
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure, capital cost) — CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) refers to the one-time upfront investments required to acquire or build long-term assets…
  • capital cost (capex, capital expenditure) — The total expenditure on fixed assets required to build a biogas or recycling plant — identical in concept to CAPEX,…
  • Capital Cost (CAPEX) (Capital Cost (CAPEX), CAPEX) — CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) is the total upfront investment required to acquire, build, or upgrade physical assets —…
  • carbon credits (carbon credit, CER) — Carbon credits are tradeable permits representing one tonne of CO2 equivalent emissions avoided or removed, providing…
  • Carbon Monoxide (Carbon Monoxide, CO) — A colourless, odourless, tasteless toxic gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels. Carbon…
  • Category A (Category A, Category A project) — The highest-impact EIA project classification under India's EIA Notification, 2006. Category A projects require…
  • Caustic Soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) — Caustic soda is sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Its wastewater generation benchmarks are 1 m³ per tonne for the membrane…
  • CE (CE, CE marking) — Conformité Européenne — a mandatory product safety mark for goods sold in the European Economic Area. Equipment…
  • CEMS (CEMS, CEMS meaning) — CEMS (Continuous Emission Monitoring System) is sensor equipment installed on industrial stacks to continuously…
  • Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB, Central PCB) — CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) is India's apex environmental regulator, established under the Water Act 1974,…
  • Centrifugal pump (Centrifugal pump, centrifugal water pump) — A pump that uses a rotating impeller to add velocity to fluid, converting that velocity to pressure in the volute…
  • certification (product certification, third-party certification) — The formal verification by an accredited third party that a product or process meets specified standards — required…
  • CFC (CFC, CFCs) — Chlorofluorocarbon — an ozone-depleting refrigerant used in air-conditioners and refrigerators manufactured before…
  • CFL (CFL, CFLs) — Compact Fluorescent Lamp — a screw-in or pin-base fluorescent lightbulb that produces light by exciting mercury…
  • CGTMSE (Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises, credit guarantee scheme) — CGTMSE (Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises) is a Government of India trust that provides…
  • Chemiluminescence (chemiluminescence analyser, CLD) — Chemiluminescence is an analytical technique that measures NO₂, ammonia or ozone by detecting the light emitted from…
  • Chromium (chromium, Cr) — Chromium (Cr) is a toxic heavy metal. The inland surface water effluent limit is 2.0 mg/L total chromium and 0.1 mg/L…
  • circular economy — An economic model that eliminates waste by keeping materials in use as long as possible through reuse, repair,…
  • COD (COD, COD meaning) — COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) is the amount of oxygen required to chemically oxidise all organic matter in water,…
  • competent authority (designated authority, appropriate authority) — A competent authority is the specific government body or official legally empowered to grant permissions and enforce…
  • consent (consent, CTE/CTO) — Consent is the Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) issued by the State Pollution Control Board…
  • consent fee (consent fee, CTE fee) — The fee charged by State Pollution Control Boards for granting Consent to Establish (CTE) or Consent to Operate…
  • Consent to Establish (CTE, CTE meaning) — Consent to Establish (CTE) is the formal SPCB approval that permits an entrepreneur to set up an industrial plant at…
  • Consent to Operate (CTO, CTO pollution control) — Consent to Operate (CTO) is the SPCB approval that an industrial plant must obtain before commencing regular…
  • Copper (copper, Cu) — Copper (Cu) is a heavy metal toxic to aquatic life at low concentrations. The inland surface water and public sewers…
  • CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board, CPCB India) — The Central Pollution Control Board is India's apex statutory body for environmental regulation, constituted under…
  • CPU (CPU, Central Processing Unit) — Central Processing Unit — the main processor chip in a computer that executes program instructions. CPUs are a…
  • Critical Raw Materials (capacitive discharge degausser, CD degausser) — A degausser technology where capacitors release a powerful instantaneous magnetic pulse to erase hard drives and…
  • CRT (CRT, CRT monitor) — A Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) is the large glass vacuum tube used as the display in old TVs and monitors. It contains…
  • crusher/shredder (crusher/shredder, shredder) — Industrial machines that break down bulky waste items — tyres, electronics, plastics, organic material — into…
  • CTE (CTE, CTE full form) — Consent to Establish (CTE) is a mandatory written approval from a State Pollution Control Board that allows an…
  • CTE/CTO (CTE, CTO) — CTE (Consent to Establish) and CTO (Consent to Operate) are the two mandatory approvals issued by a State Pollution…
  • CTO (CTO, CTO full form) — Consent to Operate (CTO) is a mandatory SPCB approval issued after plant construction is complete, authorising an…
  • Cupola (cupola furnace, foundry cupola) — A cupola is a vertical shaft furnace used in iron foundries to melt scrap iron with coke. It emits particulate matter…
  • Cyanide (cyanide, CN) — Cyanide is the highly toxic CN ion from electroplating, mining and chemical industries. The inland surface water…

D 13 terms

  • dB(A) (dB(A), dBA) — dB(A) is the A-weighted decibel scale — a measurement of sound pressure level weighted to reflect the sensitivity of…
  • DEAC (DEAC, District Expert Appraisal Committee) — District Expert Appraisal Committee — a district-level expert body under India's EIA framework that examines Category…
  • degausser (degausser, degausser machine) — A machine that exposes a hard drive or magnetic tape to a powerful, alternating magnetic field to permanently…
  • DEIAA (District Environment Impact Assessment Authority, District Environmental Clearance Authority) — DEIAA (District Environment Impact Assessment Authority) grants Environmental Clearance for Category B2 minor-mineral…
  • density separation (sink-float separation, gravity separation) — Density separation is a mechanical sorting method that splits shredded e-waste or plastics into fractions by their…
  • designated authority (competent authority, designated officer) — A designated authority is the government body or officer that a law or notification names to exercise a particular…
  • Diesel Generator (DG) sets (DG set, diesel generator set) — A diesel generator (DG) set is a self-contained backup power unit pairing a diesel engine with an alternator to…
  • dioxins (PCDD, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins) — Dioxins are highly toxic chlorinated compounds produced as unintended by-products when PVC plastic, brominated…
  • dismantling (manual dismantling, teardown) — Dismantling is the manual or semi-automated teardown of end-of-life electronic equipment into separate component…
  • Dissolved Phosphates (dissolved phosphate, phosphate as P) — Dissolved phosphates are phosphate (as P) in soluble form in effluent, which promotes algal blooms (eutrophication)…
  • Distillery (distillery, alcohol distillery) — A distillery is an alcohol-manufacturing facility, typically from molasses or grain. The wastewater generation…
  • DPR (Detailed Project Report, project report) — DPR (Detailed Project Report) is the comprehensive technical and financial document submitted to banks, government…
  • DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio, debt coverage ratio) — DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) is calculated as net operating income divided by total debt service (principal +…

E 23 terms

  • E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 (E-Waste Rules 2022, E-Waste Management Rules) — The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 are India's current regulations governing the collection, recycling, and EPR…
  • EAC (EAC, EAC full form) — The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) is the central technical committee under MoEFCC that reviews EIA reports for…
  • ED-XRF (energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence, ED XRF) — ED-XRF (Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence) is a non-destructive technique that measures lead and other metals on…
  • Eddy current separator (eddy current separator, ECS) — An induction-based separator that ejects non-ferrous metals (aluminium, copper, brass) from a conveyor belt by…
  • EEE (EEE, EEE meaning) — EEE (Electrical and Electronic Equipment) is the regulatory term for products powered by electricity or batteries…
  • effluent (effluent, industrial effluent) — Liquid waste or wastewater discharged as a by-product of industrial processes, containing dissolved chemicals,…
  • Effluent Discharge Standards (effluent standards, discharge standards) — Effluent Discharge Standards are the legally prescribed limits on pollutant concentrations — BOD, COD, suspended…
  • Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP, ETP meaning) — An Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) is a multi-stage facility that treats industrial wastewater to remove pollutants…
  • EIA (EIA, EIA report) — An EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) is a systematic study of a proposed project's environmental effects,…
  • EIA Notification 2006 (S.O. 1533, EIA Notification) — The EIA Notification 2006 (S.O. 1533) is the Indian regulation that makes Environmental Clearance mandatory for…
  • Emission (air emission, stack emission) — Emission is the release of pollutants — gases, particulate matter or vapours — into the air from a source such as a…
  • Emission Standards (air emission standards, stack emission limits) — Emission Standards are the legally prescribed limits on the maximum concentration or quantity of pollutants that may…
  • EMP (EMP, EMP in EIA) — An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is the action component of an EIA report that specifies how a project will…
  • Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (EP Act, EPA 1986) — The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is India's umbrella environmental law. It empowers the central government to…
  • environmental clearance (EC, Prior Environmental Clearance) — Environmental Clearance (EC) is the formal approval issued by MoEFCC or SEIAA permitting a major industrial project…
  • Environmental Compensation (EPR penalty, EC under EPR) — Environmental Compensation is the financial penalty levied by CPCB on producers who fail to meet their annual EPR…
  • Environmental Management Plan (EMP, EMP in EIA) — An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is the mandatory action-oriented section of every EIA Report that specifies…
  • Environmental Statement (Environmental return, EP Rules environmental statement) — An Environmental Statement is an annual return submitted to the SPCB that discloses a factory's actual pollution…
  • EPR (EPR, EPR compliance) — EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) makes manufacturers legally responsible for collecting and recycling their…
  • EPR Certificate (EPR credit, e-waste EPR certificate) — An EPR Certificate is a CPCB digital credit confirming that a registered recycler processed a specific e-waste…
  • ETP (ETP, ETP meaning) — An Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) is a facility that treats industrial wastewater using physical, chemical, and…
  • exhaust muffler (silencer, exhaust silencer) — An exhaust muffler (silencer) is a device fitted to an engine's exhaust to reduce the noise of the escaping…
  • Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC, EAC EIA India) — The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) is a central-government expert panel that reviews EIA reports for large Category…

F 11 terms

  • Factories Act, 1948 (Factories Act, Factories Act India) — The Factories Act, 1948 is India's central law governing occupational health, safety, and working conditions in…
  • Feedstock (raw material, input material) — Feedstock is the raw input material fed into an industrial plant. In recycling and biogas plants, it is the waste or…
  • Fermentation Industry (fermentation industry, fermentation industries) — The Fermentation Industry covers industries producing alcohol, beer and related products by microbial fermentation —…
  • ferrous metals (ferrous metal, ferrous scrap) — Ferrous metals are iron-based metals — mild steel, stainless steel and cast iron — that are magnetic and form the…
  • Fertilizer (fertilizer, fertiliser) — Fertilizer refers to plant-nutrient manufacturing. Wastewater benchmarks are 5 m³ per tonne for straight nitrogenous…
  • financially viable (financially viable project, project viability) — A determination that a compressed biogas or recycling project generates sufficient revenue to cover all costs and…
  • First Schedule (First Schedule, First Schedule consent guidelines) — The schedule appended to India's 2025 Consolidated Consent Guidelines (GSR 84(E)) that contains the official…
  • Fluoride (F, fluoride emissions) — Fluoride is a reactive halogen pollutant from aluminium smelters, phosphate fertiliser plants and brick kilns that…
  • formal sector (organised sector, authorised recyclers) — The formal sector is the network of CPCB/SPCB-registered, EPR-compliant e-waste recyclers, dismantlers and…
  • Free ammonia (free ammonia, un-ionised ammonia) — Free ammonia is the un-ionised ammonia (NH₃) dissolved in water, which is toxic to aquatic life. The inland surface…
  • furans (PCDF, polychlorinated dibenzofurans) — Furans (PCDFs) are highly toxic chlorinated compounds closely related to dioxins, formed during burning of…

G 16 terms

  • GaAs (GaAs, Gallium Arsenide) — Gallium Arsenide — a compound semiconductor used in LEDs, solar cells, and high-frequency microchips. Contains…
  • gallium (gallium, Ga) — A soft, low-melting critical metal used in GaAs semiconductors, LED chips, and solar cells. Recovered as a by-product…
  • gauss (gauss, oersted) — A unit of magnetic flux density (1 tesla = 10,000 gauss). In e-waste data destruction, degausser field strength is…
  • GDPR (GDPR, General Data Protection Regulation) — General Data Protection Regulation — the European Union's comprehensive data protection law (effective 2018).…
  • Government Subsidies (government support, financial incentives) — Financial support provided by government agencies to reduce the capital burden of setting up waste-processing or…
  • government support (government subsidies, policy support) — The financial and regulatory measures the Indian government provides to support biogas, recycling, and renewable…
  • GPU (GPU, GPUs) — Graphics Processing Unit — a specialised processor chip designed for parallel computation, primarily used in computer…
  • Gram Panchayat (Gram Panchayat, GP) — The lowest tier of rural local government in India, with jurisdiction over one or more villages. In the environmental…
  • Granulator (granulator, granulating machine) — A high-speed size-reduction machine that produces uniform particles typically 5–20 mm in size from pre-shredded…
  • Gravimetric (gravimetric method, gravimetric analysis) — Gravimetric is the reference method for measuring particulate matter: ambient air is drawn through a pre-weighed…
  • greenhouse gas (GHG, greenhouse gases) — Greenhouse gases (GHGs) -- including CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide -- trap heat in the atmosphere and drive climate…
  • greenhouse gas emissions (greenhouse gas emissions, GHG emissions) — Gases released into the atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to global warming — primarily CO₂, methane (CH₄),…
  • grid outages (power cuts, grid outage) — Grid outages are temporary interruptions in the electricity supply from the public distribution network. For…
  • GSR 84(E) (GSR-84(E), GSR 84E) — GSR 84(E) is a 2025 gazette notification issued by MoEFCC that amended consent frameworks and introduced updated…
  • GSR-84(E) (GSR 84(E), GSR-84E) — GSR-84(E) is the January 2025 Gazette notification under the Air Act that standardised India's SPCB consent…
  • GST (Goods and Services Tax, GST India) — GST (Goods and Services Tax) is India's unified indirect tax that replaced multiple central and state taxes from 1…

H 8 terms

  • HCFC (HCFC, Hydrochlorofluorocarbon) — Hydrochlorofluorocarbon — a transitional refrigerant introduced to replace CFCs, with lower ozone-depletion potential…
  • HDD (HDD, HDDs) — A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is a magnetic data storage device used in computers and servers. In e-waste recycling, HDDs…
  • hexavalent chromium (Cr6+, Cr(VI)) — Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+) is a toxic form of chromium used as an anti-corrosion coating in electronics and metal…
  • HFC (HFC, Hydrofluorocarbon) — Hydrofluorocarbon — a refrigerant introduced to replace ozone-depleting CFCs and HCFCs. Contains no chlorine so does…
  • HIPAA (HIPAA, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) — Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — a US law governing patient medical records. Requires certified…
  • HRC (HRC, Rockwell C) — HRC is the Rockwell C hardness scale — the standard measure of hardness for industrial cutting blades, shredder…
  • HSN (Harmonised System of Nomenclature, HSN code) — HSN (Harmonised System of Nomenclature) is an internationally standardised 6-8 digit product classification code used…
  • HVAC (HVAC, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) — Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning — building climate-control systems. At end-of-life, HVAC units are a major…

I 16 terms

  • IC (IC, ICs) — An Integrated Circuit (IC) is a miniaturised electronic circuit fabricated on a small semiconductor chip, containing…
  • IGBT (IGBT, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) — Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor — a high-power semiconductor switch used in industrial inverters, electric vehicle…
  • indium (indium, In) — A rare, soft critical metal produced as a by-product of zinc smelting, primarily used in Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)…
  • industrial wastewater (industrial wastewater, industrial effluent) — Industrial wastewater is effluent generated by manufacturing or processing activities, typically containing process…
  • informal sector (unorganised sector, informal recyclers) — The informal sector is the network of unregistered collectors, scrap dealers and backyard recyclers — kabadiwalas,…
  • insertion loss (acoustic insertion loss, noise insertion loss) — Insertion loss is the reduction in noise level, measured in dB(A), achieved by fitting an acoustic enclosure,…
  • Integrated Iron & Steel (integrated iron and steel, integrated steel plant) — Integrated Iron & Steel refers to a steel mill that combines ironmaking and steelmaking in one facility. The…
  • Iron (iron, Fe) — Iron (Fe) is a metal regulated in effluent at a limit of 3 mg/L across most discharge modes. It causes brown staining…
  • IRR (Internal Rate of Return, project IRR) — IRR (Internal Rate of Return) is the discount rate at which the net present value of a project's cash flows equals…
  • IS sieve (IS sieve, BIS sieve) — An IS sieve is a standard test sieve specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The 850-micron IS sieve is…
  • ISO (ISO, International Organization for Standardization) — International Organization for Standardization — the independent, non-governmental international body that develops…
  • ISO 14001 (ISO 14001, ISO 14001:2015) — The international standard for environmental management systems. ISO 14001 certification means an organisation…
  • ISO 9001 (ISO 9001, ISO 9001:2015) — The international standard for quality management systems. An ISO 9001 certificate from a vendor means their design,…
  • ITC (ITC, ITC under GST) — Input Tax Credit (ITC) is the mechanism under India's GST system that allows a registered business to deduct the GST…
  • ITEW (ITEW, ITEW e-waste) — ITEW (IT and Telecom Equipment Waste) is the highest-value e-waste category in India's E-Waste Rules 2022, covering…
  • ITO (ITO, Indium Tin Oxide) — Indium Tin Oxide — the transparent, electrically conductive coating applied to LCD screens and touchscreen panels.…

K 3 terms

  • kabadiwala (scrap dealer (informal), kabaadiwala) — Kabadiwala (from Urdu/Hindi: kabad = junk) is an informal itinerant or shop-based scrap buyer who collects household…
  • KLD (KLD, Kilo Litres per Day) — KLD (Kilo Litres per Day) is a unit measuring liquid flow or discharge volume equal to 1,000 litres per day. It is…
  • KVA (KVA, kVA) — KVA (Kilovolt-Ampere) is a unit of apparent electrical power equal to 1,000 volt-amperes, used to rate generators,…

L 11 terms

  • lakh INR (lakh INR, ₹ lakh) — One lakh equals 100,000 units in the Indian numbering system. One lakh Indian Rupees (₹1,00,000) is a standard unit…
  • Land for Irrigation (irrigation discharge, land disposal of effluent) — Land for irrigation is the use of treated effluent for agricultural land application. Its discharge standards differ…
  • landfill (sanitary landfill, dump) — A land-based waste disposal site where solid waste is deposited in engineered cells, compacted, and covered. Modern…
  • leaching (hydrometallurgy, hydrometallurgical leaching) — Leaching is a hydrometallurgical process that dissolves target metals out of crushed e-waste or ore into an aqueous…
  • Lead (Pb, lead metal) — Lead (Pb) is a heavy-metal pollutant from smelters, battery manufacture and leaded fuels, and a cumulative neurotoxin…
  • leaded glass (CRT funnel glass, lead glass) — Leaded glass is the funnel section of CRT displays, containing 20-25% lead oxide by weight. It is a scheduled…
  • LED (LED, LEDs) — Light-Emitting Diode — a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. LEDs are the dominant…
  • Leq (equivalent continuous sound level, LAeq) — Leq, the equivalent continuous sound level, is the single steady noise level that contains the same total acoustic…
  • life cycle (LCA, life cycle analysis) — A methodology for quantifying the total environmental impact of a product from raw material extraction through…
  • Lime Kiln (lime kilns, limestone kiln) — A lime kiln is a vertical or rotary kiln that converts limestone to quicklime through high-temperature roasting…
  • loudspeaker or public address system (loudspeaker, public address system) — A loudspeaker or public address system is any device used to amplify and broadcast sound over an area. Under India's…

M 18 terms

  • magnetic separators (magnetic separators, magnetic separator) — Equipment using powerful magnetic fields to remove ferrous metals (iron, steel) from material streams on conveyor…
  • Maltry (maltry, malthouse) — A maltry (malthouse) is a plant where grain is germinated and dried to make malt for brewing or distilling. The…
  • Manganese (manganese, Mn) — Manganese (Mn) is a heavy metal regulated in effluent at a limit of 2 mg/L across most discharge modes. It causes…
  • Marine Coastal Areas (marine coastal discharge, coastal waters) — Marine coastal areas are sea and estuarine waters where effluent is discharged offshore. Some parameters such as…
  • masterbatch (colour masterbatch, additive masterbatch) — Masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments or functional additives dispersed in a carrier resin, added in…
  • Membrane cell process (membrane cell process, membrane cell) — The membrane cell process is the modern, mercury-free method of producing caustic soda using ion-exchange membranes.…
  • mercury (Hg, mercury in e-waste) — Mercury is a heavy metal used in fluorescent lamps, LCD backlights, and switches in electronic equipment. Its vapour…
  • Mercury cell process (mercury cell process, mercury cell) — The mercury cell process is the older caustic-soda manufacturing route using flowing-mercury electrodes, now being…
  • mg/Nm3 (mg/Nm3, milligrams per normal cubic metre) — mg/Nm³ means milligrams of pollutant per normal cubic metre of dry flue gas (corrected to 0°C and 1 atmosphere). It…
  • micron (micron, micrometre) — One micron (μm) equals one-thousandth of a millimetre (0.001 mm). The micron is the standard unit for expressing…
  • MLD (MLD, Million Litres per Day) — MLD (Million Litres per Day) is a unit measuring large-scale liquid flow equal to 1,000,000 litres per day (1,000 KLD…
  • MOC (Material of Construction, material specification) — MOC (Material of Construction) — the specific material chosen for industrial equipment based on chemical…
  • MoEF (MoEF, MoEFCC) — Former name of India's central environmental ministry, now called MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate…
  • MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, MoEF) — MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) is India's central environment ministry that frames…
  • MRF (Material Recovery Facility, Material Recovery Centre) — MRF (Material Recovery Facility) is a physical facility where mixed dry waste is sorted, segregated, and baled by…
  • MSME (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, SSI) — MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) is an Indian business classification based on investment and turnover…
  • Municipal Solid Waste (Municipal Solid Waste, MSW) — Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is the collective term for all solid waste generated by households, commercial…
  • MVA (MVA, Mega Volt-Ampere) — MVA (Mega Volt-Ampere) is a unit of apparent electrical power equal to 1,000 KVA or 1,000,000 volt-amperes. It is…

N 16 terms

  • NAAQS (NAAQS, NAAQS India) — NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) are India's legally prescribed outdoor air quality limits for key…
  • NABET (NABET, National Accreditation Board for Education and Training) — National Accreditation Board for Education and Training — a body under the Quality Council of India (QCI) that…
  • Nickel (Ni, nickel metal) — Nickel (Ni) is a toxic heavy metal released by smelting, electroplating and incineration, and is a respiratory…
  • night time (night time, night-time noise limit) — In India's noise regulation, night time is the period from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., during which stricter ambient noise…
  • NiMH (NiMH, Nickel-Metal Hydride) — Nickel-Metal Hydride — a rechargeable battery chemistry that uses nickel hydroxide as the positive electrode and a…
  • NIR (NIR, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) — Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy identifies plastic polymer types by shining near-infrared light onto a surface and…
  • Nitrate Nitrogen (nitrate nitrogen, NO3-N) — Nitrate nitrogen is nitrate (NO₃-N) in wastewater, which contributes to eutrophication and to methemoglobinemia risk…
  • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2, NO₂) — Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) is a reddish-brown toxic gas formed by high-temperature combustion in boilers and engines. It…
  • Nitrogen Oxides (Nitrogen Oxides, NOx) — A family of gases (primarily nitric oxide NO and nitrogen dioxide NO₂) formed at high combustion temperatures when…
  • No Objection Certificate (NOC, NOC full form) — A No Objection Certificate (NOC) is a formal written clearance from a competent authority stating that it has no…
  • NO2 (nitrogen dioxide, NO₂) — NO2 is the chemical formula for Nitrogen Dioxide — a toxic reddish-brown gas from high-temperature combustion that…
  • NOC (No Objection Certificate, NOC India) — A No Objection Certificate (NOC) is a formal clearance from a regulatory or local body confirming no objection to a…
  • Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 (Noise Rules, Noise Rules 2000) — The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 are India's federal noise regulations, framed under the…
  • non-ferrous metals (non ferrous metals, nonferrous metals) — Non-ferrous metals are metals containing no iron — chiefly copper, aluminium, zinc, lead, tin, nickel and the…
  • notified silence zone (notified silence area, declared silence zone) — A notified silence zone is a silence zone that the competent authority has formally declared and published by…
  • NPV (Net Present Value, discounted cash flow) — NPV (Net Present Value) is the sum of all project cash flows discounted back to today's value — a positive NPV means…

O 4 terms

  • occupier (occupier, factory occupier) — The person or entity legally responsible for the operations of an industrial plant under Indian environmental and…
  • OCEMS (OCEMS, CEMS) — OCEMS (Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System) is CPCB's mandated stack monitoring system, where sensors…
  • OCMMS (OCMMS, Online Consent Management and Monitoring System) — Online Consent Management and Monitoring System — the digital portal used by State Pollution Control Boards to…
  • OPEX (Operating Expenditure, operating cost) — OPEX (Operating Expenditure) refers to the recurring day-to-day costs of running an established business -- including…

P 30 terms

  • palladium (palladium, Pd) — A platinum-group precious metal (PGM) used in multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and PCB connector plating.…
  • payback period (simple payback, capital recovery period) — Payback period is the number of years required for a project's cumulative net cash inflows to recover the initial…
  • PBB (PBB, Polybrominated Biphenyl) — Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB) is a class of brominated flame retardants — now banned — that were used in electronics…
  • PBDE (PBDE, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether) — Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) is a class of brominated flame retardants formerly used in polymer housings,…
  • PCB (PCB, circuit board) — A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is the substrate board inside electronic devices that connects and supports electronic…
  • PCBs (PCBs, transformer oil PCB) — Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants historically used as dielectric fluid in…
  • peristaltic pump (Peristaltic pump, hose pump) — A pump that moves fluid by squeezing a flexible hose or tube in a rolling motion, so the pump mechanism never…
  • Plant Availability (Plant Availability, equipment availability) — The percentage of scheduled time that a plant or piece of equipment is fully operational and ready to produce output,…
  • plant operations (plant operation, facility operations) — Plant operations are the day-to-day activities that keep a manufacturing or processing facility running — feedstock…
  • platinum group metals (platinum group metals, PGMs) — Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) are a family of six rare metallic elements — platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium,…
  • PLC (PLC, PLC meaning) — A PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is a ruggedised industrial computer that automates process control by executing…
  • PLC-based control (PLC-based control, PLC) — PLC-based control refers to industrial automation systems in which a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) — a…
  • PM10 (RSPM, Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter) — PM10 refers to airborne particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less. These coarse particles are…
  • PM2.5 (fine particulate matter, PM 2.5) — PM2.5 refers to airborne particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less. These fine particles…
  • PMEGP (Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, PMEGP loan) — PMEGP (Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme) is a GoI credit-linked subsidy scheme administered by KVIC…
  • Pollution Control Boards (CPCB and SPCB, pollution control board) — Pollution Control Boards are the statutory regulators — the CPCB at the centre and SPCBs in each state — that issue…
  • polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs (chemical), PCB chemicals) — Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants previously used as dielectric fluids in…
  • Positive Displacement Pump (Positive Displacement Pump, PD pump) — A pump category that moves fluid by trapping a fixed volume per cycle and forcing it through the discharge. Delivers…
  • ppm (ppm, parts per million) — Parts per million (ppm) is a unit of concentration expressing how many units of a substance exist in one million…
  • precious metals (precious metals, gold silver palladium e-waste) — Gold, silver, and platinum-group metals (palladium, platinum, rhodium) present in printed circuit boards and…
  • price volatility (commodity price volatility, market price risk) — The degree of unpredictable price fluctuation for feedstocks or products over time. High volatility increases…
  • Prior Environmental Clearance (Environmental Clearance, EC) — Prior Environmental Clearance (EC) is the approval from MoEFCC or SEIAA that must be obtained before any construction…
  • PRO (PRO, PRO meaning) — A PRO (Producer Responsibility Organisation) is a CPCB-registered third-party body that manages EPR compliance for…
  • processing level (level of processing, processing stage) — The degree to which a material has been processed in a recycling or biogas plant — ranging from initial collection…
  • profitability (project profitability, net profit) — The financial surplus generated by a biogas or recycling plant after covering all operating costs, debt service, and…
  • public consultation (public consultation, public hearing) — Stage 3 of India's Environmental Clearance process — a mandatory public hearing and written comment period in which…
  • public emergency (public emergency exemption, emergency) — A public emergency is a situation involving an immediate threat to public safety, health or welfare, during which…
  • Public Sewers (public sewer, municipal sewer) — Public sewers are the municipal sewer network. Effluent may be discharged into them only if the sewer leads to a…
  • Pulp & Paper (pulp and paper, paper mill) — Pulp & Paper is the paper-manufacturing industry. Wastewater generation benchmarks are about 175 m³ per tonne for…
  • PVC (PVC, Polyvinyl Chloride) — Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a chlorinated thermoplastic polymer widely used in cable insulation, pipes, and window…

Q 2 terms

  • QCI (QCI, Quality Council of India) — Quality Council of India — the apex national accreditation body that operates accreditation schemes for testing…
  • quality standards (product quality standards, quality specification) — The specifications that CBG and recycled material products must meet for sale — including IS 16087:2016 for…

R 14 terms

  • Radioactive materials (radioactive materials, radionuclides) — Radioactive materials are alpha- and beta-emitting radionuclides in wastewater, measured in micro-curie/ml. They are…
  • RAM (RAM, Random Access Memory) — Random Access Memory — the temporary working memory chips in a computer. RAM sticks have gold-plated edge connectors…
  • RCC (RCC, Reinforced Cement Concrete) — Reinforced Cement Concrete — a composite construction material combining concrete with embedded steel bars or mesh to…
  • Receiving Environment (receiving area, receptor environment) — The receiving environment is the surrounding area into which a plant's emissions disperse and where air quality is…
  • Receiving Water Body (receiving water, receiving stream) — A receiving water body is any river, stream, lake, pond, coastal area or land into which treated effluent is finally…
  • recovery yield (material recovery rate, yield rate) — Recovery yield is the percentage of input material weight that becomes usable, saleable output from a recycling…
  • refining (metal refining, precious metal refining) — Refining is the final metallurgical step that converts an impure metal concentrate — from smelting or leaching of…
  • refurbishment (refurbishing, refurbished electronics) — Refurbishment is the repair, testing, cleaning and resale of used electronic equipment so it can be reused rather…
  • regulatory compliance problems (compliance challenges, regulatory hurdles) — The difficulties in meeting environmental, safety, and commercial regulations for biogas and recycling plants —…
  • residential areas (residential area, residential zone) — A residential area is one of the four zone categories in India's noise regulation, covering areas designated for…
  • reverse logistics (reverse supply chain, product return logistics) — Reverse logistics is the system for moving end-of-life products back from users to recyclers — the collection,…
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO, RO membrane) — A water purification process where pressure drives water through a semi-permeable membrane, rejecting dissolved…
  • RoHS (RoHS, RoHS directive) — RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is an EU directive that bans six toxic substances -- lead, mercury,…
  • RSPM (Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter, PM10) — RSPM (Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter) refers to airborne particles of 10 µm or smaller (PM10) that penetrate…

S 36 terms

  • SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, industrial monitoring system) — SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) is an industrial monitoring and control system that collects…
  • scoping (scoping, EIA scoping) — Stage 2 of India's Environmental Clearance process — the step in which the Expert Appraisal Committee defines the…
  • screening (screening, EIA screening) — Stage 1 of India's Environmental Clearance process — the step that determines whether a proposed project requires an…
  • SEAC (SEAC, State EAC) — The State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) is the state-level technical committee that reviews EIA reports for…
  • Second Schedule (Second Schedule, Second Schedule consent guidelines) — The schedule appended to India's 2025 Consolidated Consent Guidelines (GSR 84(E)) that prescribes the maximum fee…
  • Secondary treatment (secondary treatment, biological treatment stage) — Secondary treatment is the biological wastewater treatment stage — such as activated sludge or biofilters — that…
  • Section 21 (Section 21, Section 21 Air Act) — The provision of India's Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 that requires every person intending to…
  • SEIAA (SEIAA, State EIA Authority) — SEIAA (State Environment Impact Assessment Authority) is the state-level body in India that grants Environmental…
  • Selenium (selenium, Se) — Selenium (Se) is a toxic metalloid that bioaccumulates in aquatic food chains. The inland surface water and public…
  • Sewage (sewage, domestic wastewater) — Sewage is wastewater from domestic sources — toilets, sinks, kitchens — typically processed through Sewage Treatment…
  • Shredder (industrial shredder, primary shredder) — A shredder is a size-reduction machine that breaks down large waste items -- tyres, electronics, plastics -- into…
  • SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India, SIDBI loan) — SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) is India's apex development finance institution for the MSME…
  • Silence Zone (Silence Zone, noise sensitive zone) — A designated noise-restricted area within 100 metres of hospitals, educational institutions, courts, and religious…
  • silence zones (silence zone, silence area/zone) — A silence zone is an area of at least 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and courts where the…
  • Smelter (smelting furnace, metal smelter) — A smelter is a high-temperature furnace that extracts or refines metal from ore concentrates or scrap. It is a major…
  • sound pressure level (SPL, sound pressure level (SPL)) — Sound pressure level (SPL) is a measure of sound intensity relative to a fixed reference pressure, expressed in…
  • sound-emitting fire crackers (firecrackers, sound-emitting firecrackers) — Sound-emitting fire crackers are explosive devices designed to produce loud bangs. Under India's Noise Rules and…
  • SPCB (State Pollution Control Board, Pollution Control Committee) — State Pollution Control Board — the state-level statutory authority responsible for issuing, monitoring, and…
  • SPM (SPM, Total Suspended Particles) — SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter) is the total mass concentration of all airborne particles in the atmosphere, a…
  • SS 304 (SS 304, Stainless Steel 304) — The most widely used austenitic stainless steel grade — containing 18% chromium and 8% nickel — offering good…
  • SS 316 (SS 316, Stainless Steel 316) — A molybdenum-alloyed austenitic stainless steel grade offering superior resistance to corrosion from chlorides,…
  • SSD (SSD, Solid State Drive) — Solid State Drive — flash-memory-based computer storage with no moving parts. SSDs contain less bulk metal than HDDs…
  • SSI (Small Scale Industry, MSME) — Small Scale Industry (SSI) is India's legacy classification for smaller industrial units, now superseded by the MSME…
  • Stack (chimney, flue stack) — A stack is the vertical chimney or duct that releases treated exhaust gases into the atmosphere at a height that…
  • Stack height (chimney height, minimum stack height) — Stack height is the minimum chimney height prescribed by CPCB rules so that pollutants disperse safely above the…
  • stack height requirements (stack height norms, chimney height requirement) — Stack height requirements are the mandatory minimum heights that CPCB sets for the exhaust stacks of diesel…
  • State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA, State EIA Authority) — State Environment Impact Assessment Authority — the state-level statutory body responsible for granting Environmental…
  • State Level Monitoring Committee (State Level Monitoring Committee, SLMC) — A supervisory body constituted under India's 2025 consent guidelines to decide CTE and CTO applications when the…
  • State Pollution Control Board (SPCB, State PCB) — A State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) is the state-level body in India that issues Consent to Establish and Consent…
  • State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) (SPCB, State Pollution Control Board) — State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) are state-level statutory bodies that implement India's environmental laws —…
  • State Pollution Control Committees (SPCCs) (SPCC, Pollution Control Committee) — State Pollution Control Committees (SPCCs) are the pollution-control authorities for India's Union Territories,…
  • STP (STP, STP meaning) — An STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) is a facility that treats domestic sewage and municipal wastewater to remove organic…
  • Sulphide (sulphide, sulfide) — Sulphide is the sulphide ion (as S) in wastewater — corrosive, odorous and toxic. The inland surface water effluent…
  • Sulphuric acid mist (H2SO4 mist, sulfuric acid mist) — Sulphuric acid mist is a fine aerosol of H₂SO₄ released from sulphuric acid plants and metal pickling that is highly…
  • Summary EIA (Summary EIA, EIA Summary) — A Summary EIA is a condensed version of a full Environmental Impact Assessment report, limited to a maximum of 10 A4…
  • Suspended solids (TSS, total suspended solids) — Suspended solids are the undissolved particles in wastewater. The inland surface water limit is 100 mg/L; public…

T 15 terms

  • take-back (takeback, take back) — Take-back is a producer's obligation, under Extended Producer Responsibility, to collect its products back from users…
  • Tanneries (tannery, leather tannery) — Tanneries are the leather-processing industry. The wastewater generation benchmark is 28 cubic metres per tonne of…
  • TDS (TDS, TDS meaning) — TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) is the total concentration of dissolved mineral salts in water, measured in mg/L. High…
  • Terms of Reference (ToR, TOR EIA) — Terms of Reference (ToR) is the EIA scoping document issued by EAC or SEAC that defines exactly what studies and…
  • Thermal runaway (battery thermal runaway, lithium battery fire) — Thermal runaway is a self-accelerating exothermic reaction in a lithium battery where heat causes further chemical…
  • Time Weighted Average (TWA, time-weighted average) — Time Weighted Average (TWA) is the average pollutant concentration measured over a defined exposure period — 24…
  • ToR (ToR, ToR EIA) — Terms of Reference (ToR) is the scoping document issued by the EIA regulator (EAC or SEAC) that specifies exactly…
  • Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN, Kjeldahl nitrogen) — Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) is the sum of organic nitrogen plus ammoniacal nitrogen in a sample, expressed as NH₃.…
  • Total residual chlorine (total residual chlorine, TRC) — Total residual chlorine is the free plus combined chlorine remaining in water after disinfection. The inland surface…
  • TPA (Tonnes Per Annum, tons per year) — TPA (Tonnes Per Annum) is a capacity and throughput metric expressing how many metric tonnes a facility processes or…
  • TPD (TPD, Tonnes Per Day) — Tonnes Per Day (TPD) is the standard unit expressing a plant's processing or production capacity on a daily basis. It…
  • TPH (TPH, Tonnes Per Hour) — Tonnes Per Hour (TPH) is the standard unit for expressing the instantaneous throughput rate of recycling equipment or…
  • TSDF (TSDF, TSDF meaning) — A TSDF (Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility) is a CPCB-authorised facility licensed to receive, treat, store,…
  • TSP (triple super phosphate, triple superphosphate) — TSP stands for Triple Super Phosphate — a high-grade phosphatic fertiliser containing about 46% P₂O₅. The wastewater…
  • TSS (TSS, TSS meaning) — TSS (Total Suspended Solids) is the concentration of particles suspended in water that are retained on a filter, used…

U 4 terms

  • Udyog Aadhaar (Udyog Aadhar, Udyam Registration) — Udyog Aadhaar is the MSME registration number issued to micro, small and medium enterprises by the Ministry of MSME,…
  • ug/m3 (ug/m3, micrograms per cubic metre) — µg/m³ means micrograms of pollutant per cubic metre of ambient air. It is the standard unit for NAAQS ambient air…
  • UL (UL, Underwriters Laboratories) — Underwriters Laboratories — a US-based independent product safety testing and certification organisation. Equipment…
  • UPS (UPS, Uninterruptible Power Supply) — Uninterruptible Power Supply — a backup power unit that provides emergency electricity when the main supply fails.…

V 8 terms

  • Vanadium (vanadium, V) — Vanadium (V) is a trace heavy metal from steel and petrochemical industries. The effluent limit is 0.2 mg/L across…
  • VFD (VFD, VSD) — A VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) is an electronic device that controls AC motor speed by varying frequency and…
  • VFDs (VFDs, VFD) — Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are electronic devices that control the speed of electric motors by varying the…
  • Viscose Filament Yarn (VFY, viscose filament yarn) — Viscose Filament Yarn (VFY) is a continuous-filament regenerated cellulose yarn used in textiles. It is the most…
  • Viscose Rayon (viscose rayon, rayon) — Viscose Rayon is a regenerated cellulose textile fibre made from wood pulp. The wastewater generation benchmark is…
  • Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF, viscose staple fibre) — Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF) is a short-length regenerated cellulose fibre used for blending with cotton or wool. The…
  • VOCs (VOCs, VOC) — Volatile Organic Compounds — organic chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature, contributing to air…
  • voltage fluctuations (voltage fluctuation, voltage variation) — Voltage fluctuations are variations in the supply voltage above or below its nominal level. Common on Indian…

W 7 terms

  • Waste-to-Energy (WtE, W2E) — The process of generating usable energy — electricity, heat, or fuel — from waste materials that would otherwise go…
  • Wastewater (wastewater, waste water) — Wastewater is used water from domestic, industrial or commercial activities that contains dissolved or suspended…
  • Wastewater Generation Standards (wastewater generation benchmarks, water consumption standards) — Wastewater Generation Standards are indicative quantity benchmarks — cubic metres of wastewater per tonne or…
  • Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (Water Act, Water Act 1974) — The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 is the foundational Indian law that established CPCB and…
  • Water Act (Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Water Act 1974) — The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 established CPCB and the SPCBs and requires industries to…
  • wear part (wearing part, consumable part) — A pump or machine component that undergoes gradual physical degradation during normal operation due to friction,…
  • WEEE (WEEE, WEEE Directive) — WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) is the international regulatory and industry term for end-of-life…

X 2 terms

  • XRF (XRF, X-Ray Fluorescence) — X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) is an analytical technique that identifies and quantifies elemental composition by…
  • XRT (XRT, X-Ray Transmission) — X-Ray Transmission — a sensor that measures material density by X-ray absorption, distinguishing heavy metals…

Z 2 terms

  • Zinc (zinc, Zn) — Zinc (Zn) is a heavy metal regulated in effluent. The inland surface water limit is 5.0 mg/L; public sewers and…
  • ZLD (ZLD, ZLD meaning) — Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) is a wastewater treatment approach that recovers all process water for reuse and…

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