AbstractClearly defined remedial action objectives are a key factor in successful remediation programs. Chemical‐specific cleanup criteria are critical components of remedial action objectives. A common risk‐based approach can be applied for developing cleanup criteria for remediations under CERCLA, RCRA, and TSCA. This approach involves four steps: identify regulatory requirements; identify chemical‐specific cleanup guidelines from previous cleanups; evaluate site‐specific risk considering mitigating factors for a given site; select the final cleanup criteria based on information from the first three steps.To describe this approach, this paper presents a case study on a PCB cleanup conducted under TSCA. An objective risk‐based approach was used to capitalize on the flexibility built into EPA's PCB cleanup guidelines. EPA granted an exemption to the stated policy on the basis of competing risk factors using a comparative risk‐assessment approach. Similarly, risk assessment can be used to take advantage of regulatory flexibility in the selection of applicable or appropriate and relevant requirements (ARARs) under CERCLA, or in the selection of media protection standards