Glossary D

The Environmental Glossary. Letter D +++ Popular Articles: 'Development', 'Disease', 'Durability'

Deutsch: Zerfall / Español: Desintegración / Português: Desintegração / Français: Désintégration / Italiano: Disintegrazione

Disintegration refers to the process by which a material or structure breaks down into smaller parts or fragments. In the environment context, disintegration can pertain to natural or anthropogenic processes affecting ecosystems, landscapes, and materials, often resulting in ecological consequences and impacts on human health.

A Dispersant is a chemical Agent used to break up concentrations of Organic Material such as spilled oil.

A Dispersion is the degree of "data scatter” (random disposition) around the data mean or median.

A Dispersion model: is a computerized set of mathematical equations that uses emissions and meteorological information to simulate the behavior and movement of air pollutants in the atmosphere.

Displacement Savings are Saving realized by displacing purchases of natural gas or electricity from a local utility by using landfill gas for power and heat.

Disposables are Consumer products, other items, and Packaging used once or a few times and discarded.

Deutsch: Entsorgung / Español: Eliminación / Português: Eliminação / Français: Élimination / Italiano: Smaltimento /

A Disposal is Final placement or destruction of toxic, radioactive, or other wastes; surplus or banned pesticides or other chemicals; polluted soils; and drums containing hazardous materials from removal actions or accidental releases.

Disposal Facilities are Repositories for solid waste, including landfills and combustors intended for permanent containment or destruction of waste materials.

Deutsch: Störstoff / Español: Disruptor / Português: Disruptor / Français: Perturbateur / Italiano: Disruptore

Disruptor in the environmental context typically refers to substances or agents that interfere with natural processes, ecosystems, or biological functions. These can be chemical pollutants, invasive species, or human activities that cause significant disruptions to the environment.

A Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is the oxygen freely available in water, vital to fish and other aquatic life and for the prevention of odors.