Microgram

Asbestos cement

European agreement on the international road transport for hazardous goods

Approximate Possible Level

Trade name of PCB cooling fluid (USA, Monsanto)

American Society for Testing and Materials

American Society for Testing and Materials

Benzo(a)pyrene

Best Available Technique

Basel Convention on the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal

Best Environmental Practice

Asbestos fibres are held tightly within the structures, e.g. in asbestos cement materials

Equipment or unit to supply lagging kilovars for power factor correction of an electric system; some capacitors were manufactured with PCB as cooling fluid.

Practically there are three different ways of power factor (PF) correction: Capacitors for "individual" PF-correction; the capacitor is directly connected to the terminals of an equipment (motors, welding machine etc.) producing the "lagging kilovars"

Capacitors for "group" PF- correction; the capacitor(s) is (are) connected to the LV-busbar of a transformer station, which feeds a number of consumers with individual motors, welding machines etc.

Capacitors for "central" PF-correction; Large capacitor installation connected to the Middle- or High Voltage busbars of a substation where many individual electrical appliances (motors etc.) of various size operate at different times and periods.

Cadmium

Fluorochlorinated hydrocarbons

Asbestos mineral of the serpentine group, also called “white asbestos”

Capacitors and transformers, where the PCB itself is in completely closed containers; PCBs rarely emit from closed systems (in good condition).

Depending on the number and position of the chlorine atoms in the Biphenyl molecule, 209 isomers and homologue Chlorine Biphenyls are theoretically possible. A single compound from this group is called PCB congener.

Dielectric fluid

Conference of the Parties

Chlorinated Paraffins

Chromium

Asbestos mineral of the amphibole group, also called “blue asbestos"

Completely Self Protected

Copper

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane

Deutsches Institut für Normung (German Institute for Standardization)

Exempli gratia / for example

Environmentally Sound Management

Environmental Technology International

European Union

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Swiss Federal Office for the Environment

Swiss Federal Office of Public Health

Gas chromatography; Procedure for the determination of evaporating substances

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an international financial entity with 177 countries as members.

Mercury

High voltage

DGR IATA regulations on the transport of hazardous goods / transport by air

Intermediate Bulk Container

Intergovernmental Organisation

International maritime dangerous goods code / transport by sea

Kilovolts

Kilovolt ampere

Kilowatt

Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution

Low voltage (230/400 V)

Maximum Allowable Concentration

Programme for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean

Method Detection Limit

Milligram per kilogram

Minimum Quantitative Level

Mass Spectrometry

Medium voltage (Normally in the range between 11 and 66kV)

Megavolt ampere

Particles between 1 and 100 millionths of a millimeter in size that can penetrate the tissue with the risk of causing negative changes in the body.

National Action Plan

Nanogram (1000 ng = 1 µg)

Non-Governmental Organisation

National Implementation Plan on Stockholm Convention related to POPs

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Applications like caulks/sealants, paints, anti-corrosion coatings, etc. Open applications emit PCB directly in the environment.

Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Lead

Polybrominated Biphenyl

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Dibenzo-p-Dioxins or Dioxin; Highly toxic by-product of PCB

Dibenzofurans or Furan; Highly toxic by-product of PCB

Pentachlorophenol

Polychlorinated Triphenyls

Polyethylene

PCB Elimination Network of UN Environment

Resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes

Prior Informed Consent

Persistent Organic Pollutants

Personal Protective Equipment

Parts per million (mg/kg)

A product to which PCB was added voluntarily to influence the product’s characteristics (e.g. cooling fluids for transformers like Sovol, Sovtol, Askarel, Pyralene, Clophen, etc.); Such products emit PCB continuously.

Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade

Regulation for the international transport of hazardous goods / transport by rail

Swiss Association for Environmental Technology

Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

Secretariat of the Basel Convention

Stockholm Convention Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

A product that originally was free of PCB, but later contaminated by PCB emitting from primary sources (e.g. by emission from primary sources or use of contaminated pumps, hoses, etc.) Such products also emit PCB.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Trade name of PCB cooling fluid (produced in former USSR)

Swiss National Workers Accident Insurance Fund

Total Acid Number

Total Base Number

Tolerable daily intake

Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons

Equipment used to increase or reduce voltage; PCB containing transformers are usually installed in sites or buildings where electricity is distributed.

Equipment that fulfils the specific United Nations testing procedures

United Nations Environment Programme

Asbestos fibres can easily be released from material, e.g. asbestos cardboards, asbestos insulating board panels, etc.

United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Industrial Development Organization

United States Environmental Protection Agency

The Association of German Engineers

Volatile organic compounds

World Bank

World Federation of Public Health Associations

World Health Organisation

Zink