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EPA is working with ASTM International to develop a voluntary consensus-based standard for greener cleanups. The standard would improve the environmental outcome of a cleanup by employing approaches to minimize its footprint. Use of the standard would promote resource efficiencies and technology innovation resulting in measurable improvements to human health, the environment, and communities.

EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) and regional offices worked with state agencies to develop a framework outlining the desired outcomes of a potential greener cleanup standard and verification system. ASTM International is now using the framework as a starting point for developing a standard guide, and EPA is identifying potential uses for the standard, along with options for verification. EPA's expectations for a greener cleanup standard are summarized in April 2010 recommendations (PDF) (3 pp, 618.39KB) provided by OSWER Assistant Administrator Mathy Stanislaus to ASTM International.

For more information:

• View the Greener Cleanup Standard Initiative project update of December 2011 (PDF) (2 pp, 89.61KB). *New*
• Visit ASTM International online for updates on the new ASTM guide being developed for Greener cleanup at waste sites. Stakeholders interested in participating in the consensus process need to: (1) become an ASTM member and join Committee E50 Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action as well as the E50.04 Corrective Action Subcommittee; and (2) contact the ASTM staff manager (Kate McClung, kmcclung@astm.org) to request participation in the Greener Cleanup Task Group. Task Group members will be placed on the e-mail distribution list for materials such as progress reports, revised drafts, and notices of upcoming meetings.
• See the Incentives for Greener Cleanups (PDF) paper issued in June 2009 by the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management's Greener Cleanups Task Force.
• View EPA's archived Greener Remediation Voluntary Standards Initiative webinar of March 4^th, 2009, which discussed how a voluntary standard and verification system could improve the environmental outcomes of site cleanups across regulatory frameworks. Q&A Highlights (PDF) (3 pp, 66.83KB) summarize questions posed by webinar participants and corresponding answers from EPA presenters.