What Are Reportable Quantity Levels?

Frequently Asked Questions

How many RQ levels are there for CERCLA hazardous substances?

How many RQ levels are there for CERCLA hazardous substances?

For purposes of establishing reportable quantity (RQ) adjustments under CERCLA, EPA has adopted the five RQ levels of 1, 10, 100, 1,000, and 5,000 pounds originally established pursuant to Clean Water Act (CWA) section 311. The Agency adopted the CWA five-level system primarily because: (1) it had been successfully used for the CWA; (2) the regulated community was already familiar with these five levels; and (3) it provides a relatively high degree of discrimination among the potential hazards posed by different CERCLA hazardous substances.

There are seven RQ levels for radionuclides: 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 Ci. Other FAQs provide more information on radionuclide reporting requirements.