Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 4715.18
June 11, 2009
Incorporating Change 1, December 13, 2017
USD(AT&L)
SUBJECT: Emerging Contaminants (ECs)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This Instruction establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for the
identification, assessment, and risk management of ECs that have the potential to impact the
DoD in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive (DoDD) 5134.01 (Reference (a)) and the
guidance in DoDD 4715.1E, DoD Instruction 5000.02, and Defense Acquisition University Risk
Management Guide (References (b), (c), and (d)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction:
a. Applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other
organizational entities within the DoD (referred to collectively in this Instruction as the “DoD
Components”).
b. Applies to the DoD activities and programs involving the development, production, use,
storage, or release of chemicals and materials that can be considered ECs at DoD operations,
activities, and installations in the United States.
c. Applies to the DoD managed response actions at formerly used defense sites.
d. Does not apply to:
(1) Contractor-owned or contractor-operated facilities.
(2) Radiological data collected under the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program or other
DoD radiological programs.
(3) Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive incident training or
response programs.
