Publisher Summary Decontamination is an integral part of the requirements established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for the protection of workers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for the protection of human health as well as the environment. The purpose of decontamination is to remove or neutralize hazardous substances on vehicles, clothing, tools, equipment, and instruments. This chapter discusses the principles and objectives that need to be addressed in the planning and implementation of decontamination procedures at a hazardous waste site. It is necessary to consider the extent to which the contamination has permeated and penetrated the surface as well as the binding forces between the contaminant and the object to be decontaminated. Contaminants can be bound to a material through electrostatic, chemical and physical attractive forces, as well as mechanical entrapment. These binding forces must be broken to remove a contaminant. Decontamination methods used to break these binding forces are described. Concerns for the cross-contamination and protection of decontamination facility workers may require special designs and controls if potential hazards during decontamination are significant.