Gg

Gasoil
An intermediate distillate product used for diesel fuel, heating fuel and sometimes as feedstock.

Gasoline
Also called gas or petrol, gasoline is a mixture of volatile, flammable liquid hydrocarbons derived from petroleum, with or without small quantities of additives, and used as motor fuel. It is also used as a solvent for oils and fats.

GDP
Gross Domestic Product

Hh

Hazard
The hazard associated with a chemical is its intrinsic ability to cause an adverse effect. It should be compared to risk, which is the chance that such effects will occur. Whilst a chemical may have hazardous properties, provided it is handled safely under contained conditions, any risk to human health or the environment is extremely low.

High Production Volume chemicals (HPV)
High Production Volume chemical, defined by the European Chemicals Bureau as a chemical being produced or imported in quantity of at least 1000 tonnes per year in EU by at least one Industry.

HSE
Health, Safety and Environment

HSPA
Hydrocarbon Solvent Producers Association, a sector group of the Association of Petrochemicals Producers in Europe (APPE). For more information, click here.

Hydrocarbon
An organic compound that consists exclusively of the elements carbon and hydrogen. Generally, the term hydrocarbon is used for the chemicals that are derived from natural gas, oil and coal.

Ii

ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations

Inorganic
Inorganic is said of any substance in which two or more chemical elements other than carbon are combined. Every chemical is either inorganic or organic.

Isomer / Isomeric
Two or more substances that have identical molecular formulas but different molecular structures or configurations, and hence different properties, are called isomers. Isomers differ only in the arrangement of their component atoms.

Isomerisation
The chemical process by which a compound is transformed into any of its isomeric forms, i.e., forms with the same chemical composition but with different structure or configuration and, hence, generally with different physical and chemical properties.

Ll

Latex (pl. latices)
A water emulsion of a synthetic rubber or plastic obtained by polymerisation and used especially in coatings, paints and adhesives. Latices include a binder dispersed in the water and form films by fusion of the plastic particles as the water evaporates. Properties of these films, such as hardness, flexibility, toughness, adhesion, colour retention, and resistance to chemicals, depend on the composition of the plastic.

LVOC
Large Volume Organic Chemicals

Mm

Methane
A colourless, odourless, flammable gas that occurs abundantly in nature as the chief constituent of natural gas, as a component of firedamp in coal mines, and as a product of the decomposition of organic matter. Methane is used as a fuel and as a starting material in chemical synthesis.

Metaxylene
Metaxylene is an isomer of mixed xylene. It is used as an intermediate in the manufacture of polyesters for coatings, inks, reinforced plastics, and packaging applications.

Molecule
Chemical combination of two or more atoms of the same chemical element (such as O2 - which is Oxygen) or different chemical elements (such as H2O - which is water).

Monomer
A molecule that can combine with others to form a polymer.

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