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review and approved for publication as an EPA document. Mention of trade names or commer-cial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. ii FOREWORD Today's rapidly developing and changing technologies and industrial products and prac-tices frequently carry with them the increased generation of materials that, if improperly dealt with, can threaten both public health and the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is charged by Congress with protecting the Nation's land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the agency strives to formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability of natural sys-tems to support and nurture life. These laws direct the EPA to perform research to define our environmental problems, measure the impacts, and search for solutions. The Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory is responsible for planning, implementing, and managing research, development, and demonstration programs to provide an authoritative, defensible engineering basis in support of the policies, programs, and regulations of the EPA with respect to drinking water, wastewater, pesticides, toxic substances, solid and hazardous wastes, and Superfund-related activities. This publication is one of the products of that research and provides a vital communication link between the researcher and the user community