This guide is intended to provide guidance for sampling waste piles. It can be used to obtain samples for waste characterization related to use, treatment, or disposal; to monitor an active pile; to prepare for closure of the waste pile; or to investigate the contents of an abandoned pile.

Techniques used to sample include both in-place evaluations of the pile and physically removing a sample. In-place evaluations include techniques such as remote sensing, on-site gas analysis, and permeability.

Sampling strategy for waste piles is dependent on the following:

4.3.1 Project objectives including acceptable levels of error when making decisions;

4.3.2 Physical characteristics of the pile, such as its size and configuration, access to all parts of it, and the stability of the pile;

4.3.3 Process that generated the waste and the waste characteristics, such as hazardous chemical or physical properties, whether the waste consists of sludges, dry powders or granules, and the heterogeneity of the wastes;

4.3.4 History of the pile, including dates of generation, methods of handling and transport, and current management methods;

4.3.5 Regulatory considerations, such as regulatory classification and characterization data;

4.3.6 Limits and bias of sampling methods, including bias that may be introduced by waste heterogeneity, sampling design, and sampling equipment.

It is recommended that this guide be used in conjunction with Guide D 4687, which addresses sampling design, quality assurance, general sampling considerations, preservation and containerization, cleaning equipment, packaging, and chain of custody.

A case history of the investigation of a waste pile is included in Appendix X1.