Hazardous materials identified or generated from the facility decommissioning process are subject to intense regulation and present significant potential liabilities. The need to improve characterization and management of these wastes is a primary driver for development of improved decommissioning strategies.

Research laboratory facilities and their associated spaces pose unique decommissioning concerns because of the nature of the use of workspace. The intent of this standard is to address a decommissioning approach specifically for research laboratories that may then be applied to other types of facilities, if appropriate.