English Vocabulary for Environmental Workers (English–Spanish)
By Kéllyta Quijada, Spanish tutorUpdated November 3, 2026
Quick answer: The English words environmental workers hear most on the job include hazardous waste (residuos peligrosos), spill (derrame), sample (muestra), contamination (contaminación), PPE (equipo de protección personal), SDS (hoja de datos de seguridad) and wastewater (aguas residuales). This English–Spanish guide has 120+ terms and phrases for waste handling, water treatment, remediation, sampling, safety and reporting, with a printable PDF.
Environmental services crews, remediation technicians, water and wastewater operators, recycling and landfill staff all work with chemicals, permits and strict procedures. When the procedures and labels are in English, workers need that vocabulary to stay safe and pass inspections. Employers can use this list for bilingual training; workers can use it to study for the job.
Hazardous materials and waste
| English | Español |
|---|---|
| hazardous waste | residuos peligrosos |
| hazardous materials (hazmat) | materiales peligrosos |
| chemical | sustancia química |
| toxic / flammable / corrosive | tóxico / inflamable / corrosivo |
| drum / container | tambor / contenedor |
| label | etiqueta |
| Safety Data Sheet (SDS) | hoja de datos de seguridad |
| disposal | eliminación, disposición final |
| recycling | reciclaje |
| landfill | relleno sanitario, vertedero |
| asbestos / lead / mold | asbesto / plomo / moho |
| manifest (waste manifest) | manifiesto de residuos |
Spills and emergency response
| English | Español |
|---|---|
| spill / leak | derrame / fuga |
| spill kit | kit para derrames |
| absorbent pad | almohadilla absorbente |
| containment | contención |
| berm / dike | berma / dique |
| evacuate | evacuar |
| decontamination (decon) | descontaminación |
| “Stop work. There’s a leak.” | “Paren el trabajo. Hay una fuga.” |
| “Contain the spill before it reaches the drain.” | “Contengan el derrame antes de que llegue al drenaje.” |
| “Report every spill to your supervisor.” | “Reporten todos los derrames a su supervisor.” |
Water and wastewater treatment
| English | Español |
|---|---|
| wastewater | aguas residuales |
| treatment plant | planta de tratamiento |
| stormwater | agua pluvial |
| runoff | escorrentía |
| sludge | lodo |
| filter / pump / valve | filtro / bomba / válvula |
| flow rate | caudal |
| chlorine | cloro |
| pH level | nivel de pH |
| discharge permit | permiso de descarga |
Sampling, testing and site assessment
| English | Español |
|---|---|
| sample | muestra |
| soil / groundwater / air sample | muestra de suelo / agua subterránea / aire |
| monitoring well | pozo de monitoreo |
| chain of custody | cadena de custodia |
| lab results | resultados de laboratorio |
| above the limit | por encima del límite |
| contamination | contaminación |
| remediation / cleanup | remediación / limpieza |
| excavation | excavación |
| “Label each sample with the date, time and location.” | “Etiqueten cada muestra con la fecha, la hora y el lugar.” |
PPE and safety
| English | Español |
|---|---|
| personal protective equipment (PPE) | equipo de protección personal (EPP) |
| respirator | respirador |
| fit test | prueba de ajuste |
| chemical-resistant gloves | guantes resistentes a químicos |
| coveralls / Tyvek suit | overol / traje Tyvek |
| face shield / goggles | careta / gafas protectoras |
| confined space | espacio confinado |
| permit required | se requiere permiso |
| lockout/tagout | bloqueo y etiquetado |
| gas detector | detector de gases |
| heat stress | estrés por calor |
| “Put on your respirator before you enter.” | “Póngase el respirador antes de entrar.” |
Regulations, paperwork and reporting
| English | Español |
|---|---|
| EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) | Agencia de Protección Ambiental |
| OSHA | Administración de Seguridad y Salud Ocupacional |
| HAZWOPER training | capacitación HAZWOPER (operaciones con residuos peligrosos) |
| compliance | cumplimiento |
| inspection / inspector | inspección / inspector |
| violation / fine | infracción / multa |
| incident report | reporte de incidente |
| logbook | bitácora |
| work order | orden de trabajo |
| “Fill out the log at the end of your shift.” | “Llene la bitácora al final de su turno.” |
Everyday English phrases for the job site
- What’s the plan for today? – ¿Cuál es el plan para hoy?
- Where do you want this drum? – ¿Dónde quiere este tambor?
- I need more absorbent pads. – Necesito más almohadillas absorbentes.
- The detector is beeping. – El detector está sonando.
- Can you show me how to do it? – ¿Me puede enseñar cómo hacerlo?
- I don’t understand. Can you say it more slowly? – No entiendo. ¿Lo puede decir más despacio?
- The job is done. The area is clean. – El trabajo está terminado. El área está limpia.
Tips for learning job English faster
- Start with the labels and signs you see every day: DANGER, CAUTION, FLAMMABLE, KEEP OUT.
- Learn the SDS sections (hazards, first aid, PPE, storage). They’re the same on every sheet.
- Practice the radio and phone phrases you use with supervisors and dispatch.
- Study 10 minutes a day on your phone instead of one long class a week.
English training for environmental services companies
Our English training for environmental workers gives Spanish-speaking crews live group lessons by level plus a self-study course on their phones, built around safety, procedures and the vocabulary above. We can add custom lessons from your own SOPs, SDS sheets and safety manual. See also English vocabulary for the oil and gas industry.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “hazardous waste” in Spanish?
Residuos peligrosos. Hazardous materials (hazmat) are materiales peligrosos.
What is an SDS in Spanish?
Hoja de datos de seguridad (Safety Data Sheet). It lists a chemical’s hazards, first aid, PPE and storage.
How do you say “wastewater” in Spanish?
Aguas residuales. A treatment plant is una planta de tratamiento.
How can environmental workers learn English for the job?
Start with labels, signs and SDS sections, then practice the phrases you use with supervisors. Our English training for environmental workers pairs small group lessons with a self-study course on the phone.