What Does
Area Of Contamination Mean?
An area of contamination is a concept that was formulated in the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976. Referred to as the Area of Contamination Policy, the RCRA allows generally dispersed areas of contamination to be considered RCRA units. As a result, consolidation and in-site treatment of hazardous waste do not create a new point of hazardous waste generation according to the RCRA.
Safeopedia Explains Area Of Contamination
The Area of Contamination policy affords a level of flexibility in construction activities in which soil is unearthed. If the soil is contaminated with a listed hazardous waste, the soil is considered to be a hazardous waste at the point of excavation. When the soil from excavation is temporarily moved within the area of contamination, and subsequently redeposited in the same excavated area, the act does not produce a hazardous waste.