BASE-BATNEEC-BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND-BLACK LIST -BEST PRACTICABLE ENVIRONMENTAL OPTION-BLEVE, BOILING LIQUID EXPANDING VAPOUR EXPLOSION-BLOWING AGEN

BASE
A chemical compound whose aqueous solution turns red litmus paper blue and is capable of accepting or receiving a proton from another substance. They react with acids to form salts and
water.

BATNEEC
Term used in the Environmental Protection Act and other legislation. Certain polluting
processes are required to use the Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost
(BATNEEC) to reduce the environmental impact of a prescribed process as far as possible.
Environment Agency inspectors determine what constitutes BATNEEC for each application and
are to change the definition as improved technologies or techniques become available.

BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD)
Official term given to measure how polluting organic industrial effluent is when it is discharged into water. This effluent is feed for bacteria which consume oxygen, making it more difficult for plant and fish life to survive. The lower the BOD level, the less polluting the effluent.

BLACK LIST
The Black List was introduced by the EC in Directive 76/464/EEC on dangerous substances released into water as list I. It contains substances selected mainly on the basis of their
toxicity, persistence and accumulation in living organisms and in sediment.

BEST PRACTICABLE ENVIRONMENTAL OPTION (BPEO)
Organizations may be encouraged to undertake systematic decision processes with a view to seeking the BPEO that provides the most benefit (or least damage) to the environment, at an acceptable cost.

BLEVE, BOILING LIQUID EXPANDING VAPOUR EXPLOSION
Instantaneous release and ignition of flammable vapour upon rupture of a vessel containing flammable liquid above its atmospheric boiling point.

BLOWING AGENT
Chemical liable to decomposition at low temperature to produce a large volume of gas.