40 CFR §761.386
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
The following experimental conditions apply for any solvent:
- (a)Temperature and pressure. Conduct the validation study and perform decontamination at room temperature (from ≥15 °C to ≤30 °C) and at atmospheric pressure.
- (b)Agitation. Limit the movement in the solvent to the short-term movement from placing the contaminated surface into the soak solvent and from removing the surface from the soak solvent.
- (c)Time of soak. Soak the surface for a minimum of 1 hour.
- (d)Surface conditions for the validation study. Prior to beginning the validation study, ensure that there are no free-flowing liquids on surfaces and that surfaces are dry (i.e., there are no liquids visible without magnification). Also ensure that surfaces are virtually free from non-liquid residues, corrosion, and other defects which would prevent the solvent from freely circulating over the surface.
- (e)Confirmatory sampling for the validation study. Select surface sample locations using representative sampling or a census. Sample a minimum area of 100 cm 2 on each individual surface in the validation study. Measure surface concentrations using the standard wipe test, as defined in § 761.123, from which a standard wipe sample is generated for chemical analysis. Guidance for wipe sampling appears in the document entitled “Wipe Sampling and Double Wash/Rinse Cleanup as Recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency PCB Spill Cleanup Policy,” available on EPA's website at https://www.epa.gov/pcbs, or from the Program Implementation and Information Division, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (5303T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001.
- (f)Concentration of PCBs. The method validated may be used only to decontaminate surfaces containing PCBs at concentrations on which the validation study was performed and lower concentrations.