US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Guidance
Keywords
hazardous substances, state laws, DOE, OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act, CERCLA, Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, RCRA, CAA
A number of terms (e.g., “hazardous chemicals,” “hazardous materials,” “hazardous waste,” and similar
nomenclature) refer to substances that are subject to regulation under one or more federal environmental laws. State laws and regulations also provide additional, similar, or identical terminology that may be confused with the federally defined terms. Many of these terms appear synonymous, and it is easy to use them
interchangeably. However, in a regulatory context, inappropriate use of narrowly defined terms can lead to
confusion about the substances referred to, the statutory provisions that apply, and the regulatory requirements for compliance under the applicable federal statutes. This Information Brief provides regulatory definitions, a brief discussion of compliance requirements, and references for the precise terminology that should be used when referring to “hazardous” substances regulated under federal environmental laws. A companion CERCLA Information Brief (EH-231-004/0191) addresses “toxic” nomenclature.
