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radiation: Electromagnetic energy or light, depending on the wavelength, which imparts energy to molecules and atoms. Radiation absorption causes ionization and bond-breaking.
radical: In inorganic chemistry, refers to an aqueous, dissociated ionized group that acts as a fragmented, highly reactive, short-lived substance. Free radical generation can initiate polymerization and other kinds of reactions.
radioactive: Spontaneously and continuously emitting ions or ionizing radiation. Radioactivity is not a chemical property, but an additional hazard apart from other properties of a material.
rapid reaction: A reaction in which chemical change becomes evident within minutes to hours after the mixing of incompatible chemicals. That evidence can be dramatic change such as fire or explosion, or more subtle effects, such as chemical heat production, evolution of gases, or deposition/disappearance of solids.
RAR: See resources at risk.
reaction: The change that takes place when two or more substances interact to form new substances.
reactive: Readily reacts with other chemicals (described in 29 CFR § 1910.1200).
reactivity: The tendency of a substance to undergo chemical change. The reactivity of most substances depends on the temperature and pressure of the surroundings, and on the chemicals with which it comes in contact. Under ordinary conditions, innately reactive substances are those that react rapidly with water, air, and other common components of the environment, as well as substances that self-react (decompose or polymerize).
recoverable oil: Oil in a thick enough layer on the water to be recovered by conventional techniques and equipment. Only black or dark brown oil, mousse, and heavy sheens (which are dull brown in color) are generally considered to be thick enough to be effectively recovered by skimmers. See also on-water recovery.
recovery: In oil spill cleanup, the entire process of any operation contributing to the physical removal of spilled oil from land, water, or shoreline environments. General methods of recovery of oil from water are the use of mechanical skimmers, sorbents, and manual recovery by the cleanup work force. The main method of recovery of oil spilled on land or shorelines is excavation of oiled materials.
reducing agent: Substance that can react strongly or explosively with oxidizers. Contrast with oxidizing agent.
reduction: A reaction in which either oxygen is removed from a substance or, in a more general sense, one or more electrons is accepted from another substance. Contrast with oxidation.
remediation: Also known as cleanup, remediation is the action taken to reduce, isolate, or remove contamination from an environment with the goal of preventing exposure to people or animals. Examples include dredging to remove contaminated sediment, or capping to prevent contaminated sediment from contacting benthic organisms. Compare with restoration.
reportable quantity (RQ): The quantity of a hazardous substance or extremely hazardous substance that, if released, must be reported to the National Response Center, the State Emergency Response Commission, and the community emergency coordinator for areas likely to be affected by the release.
residual oils: The heavier oils that remain after the distillate fuel oils and lighter hydrocarbons are distilled away in refinery operations. Included are No. 5, a residual fuel oil of medium viscosity; Navy Special, for use in steam-powered vessels in government service and in shore power plants; and No. 6, which includes Bunker C fuel oil and is used for commercial and industrial heating and electricity generation.
resources at risk (RAR): Economic and ecological resources threatened by a spill incident.
responder resources: All personnel and major items of equipment available, or potentially available, for assignment to incident tasks on which status is maintained.
responsible party (RP): The person, business, or entity identified as owning the vessel or facility that caused a spill incident. The term does not imply criminal negligence.
restoration: To return a site to an approximation of its condition before alteration. In the Superfund cleanup process, restoration usually follows remediation. Compare with remediation.
rig: The derrick and surface equipment of a drilling unit.
riprap: A layer of large, durable fragments of broken rock, concrete, or other material used as a hard, artificial shoreline facing to reduce erosion by waves or currents and thereby preserve the shape of a surface, slope, or underlying structure.
RP: See Responsible Party.
RQ: See reportable quantity.
RRC: Regional Resource Coordinator, formerly a Coastal Resource Coordinator (CRC). The point of contact for the efforts of NOAA OR&R's Assessment and Restoration Division (ARD). RRCs are NOAA environmental scientists who work to provide the technical foundation for assessments of ecological risk and environmental and economic injury from contamination at hazardous waste sites and to improve coordination among trustee agencies.
RRT: The Federal response organization (consisting of representatives from selected federal and state agencies) which acts as a regional body responsible for planning and preparedness before an oil spill occurs and providing advice to the FOSC in the event of a major or substantial spill.

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