SW-846 Update V DISCLAIMER – 1 Revision 1 

October 2012 

DISCLAIMER 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste (EPA or the Agency) has 

compiled this methods manual in order to provide comprehensive guidance to analysts, data users, and 

other interested parties regarding test methods that may be employed for the evaluation of solid waste

and other testing specified in regulations issued under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

(RCRA). Except where explicitly specified in a regulation, the use of SW-846 methods is not mandatory in 

response to Federal testing requirements. 

The Agency does not intend to restrict the use of new analytical techniques. Advances in 

technologies applicable to the sampling and analysis of environmental media and hazardous wastes 

outpace the ability of the Agency to promulgate revisions to this manual. In addition, given the large 

number of manufacturers and vendors of scientific equipment, glassware, reagents, and supplies, it is not 

feasible to cite all possible sources for these materials. Thus, the mention of trade names or commercial 

products in this manual is for illustrative purposes only, and does not constitute an endorsement or 

exclusive recommendation for use by EPA. The products and instrument settings cited in SW-846 

methods represent those products and settings used during method development or subsequently 

evaluated by the Agency. Glassware, reagents, supplies, equipment, and settings other than those 

listed in this manual may be employed provided that method performance appropriate for the intended 

RCRA application has been documented as described in Chapter Two (see Sec. 2.1). 

EPA generally does not intend these methods to be overly prescriptive. The words "shall," "must," 

or "require" are used to indicate aspects of the method that are considered essential to its performance, 

based on sound analytical practices (e.g., an instrument must be calibrated before use). In contrast, the 

words "should," "may," or "recommend" are used to provide guidance on aspects of the method that are 

useful but not essential. This flexibility does not apply to those method-defined parameters where the

analytical result is wholly dependent on the process used to make the measurement. 

EPA emphasizes that the ultimate responsibility for producing reliable analytical results lies with 

the entity subject to the Federal, State, or local regulation. Thus, members of the regulated community 

are advised to refer to the information in Chapter Two and to consult with knowledgeable laboratory 

personnel when choosing the most appropriate suite of analytical methods. The regulated community is 

further advised that the methods here or from other sources need only be used for those specific analytes 

of concern that are subject to regulation or other monitoring requirements. 

Many of the methods include performance data that are intended as guidance on the performance 

that may be achieved in typical matrices and may be used by the analyst to select the appropriate method 

for the intended application. These performance data are not intended to be used as absolute QC 

acceptance criteria. Rather, each laboratory should develop performance criteria as described in 

Chapter Two and elsewhere in the manual. 

In summary, the methods included here provide guidance to the analyst and the regulated 

community in making judgments necessary to generate data that meet the data quality objectives for the

intended use of the results.