BACTERIA
Living organisms, microscopic in size, which usually consist of a single cell. Most bacteria use organic matter for their food and produce waste products as a result of their life processes.

BAT
Best Available Techniques
The most effective and advanced stage in the development of activities and their methods of operation which indicates the practicable suitability of particular techniques for providing the basis for emission limit values designed to prevent, and where that is not practicable, generally to reduce the emissions and the impact on the environment as a whole' (EC Directive 96/61)

BATNEEC
Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost. This is a requirement under law for control of emissions to air for some specific processes.

BIG AEROPORT
One where more than 50, 000 flights are handled per year.

BIG TRAIN STATION
One where more than 30 000 trips to and from are handled every year

BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD)
Is a measure of the amount of oxygen needed for microorganisms to convert organic matter to inorganic matter. It is typically measured as the amount of oxygen consumed in laboratory tests over a five-day period at 20 degrees C.

BIOCIDE
A substance which kills living organisms.

BIOCOMBUSTIBLE
Refers to any combustible substance derived from Biomass.

BIODEGRADABLE
Capable of decomposing rapidly under natural conditions.

BIOGAS
A combustible gas created by anaerobic decomposition of organic material, composed primarily of methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide.

BIOMASS
Organic matter available on a renewable basis. Biomass includes forest and mill residues, agricultural crops and wastes, wood and wood wastes, animal wastes, livestock operation residues, aquatic plants, fast-growing trees and plants, and municipal and industrial wastes.

BIOMETHANIZATION
The process of decomposing biomass with anaerobic bacteria to produce biogas.

BIOSPHERE
The part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living things exist.

BIOTECHNOLOGY
The use of living things to make products.

BIOTIC
Living components of an ecosystem.

BOB
Biochemical Oxygen Demand. An index of water pollution which represents the content of biochemically degradable substances in a water or effluent sample. The oxygen up-take by micro-organisms together with the sample is measured in grams per cubic metre.

BOTANICAL GARDEN
A facility where trees and shrubs are cultivated for exhibition or for scientific purposes.

BPEO
Best Practicable Environmental Option. The option that provides the most benefit or least damage to the environment as a whole at an acceptable cost.

BPT
Best Practicable Treatment (Currently Available)

BREF
Technical documents of reference whose objective consists in deriving comparative analysis and identification, and attempting to guide the identification of the best practicable techniques, which constitute key elements of the 96/61/CE directive, and the determining factor for the concession of permits of installations covered by the Directive.

BY-PRODUCT
Is a secondary product that has incidentally derived while manufacturing another product.