Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Overview of Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan Ute Pott Environment and Climate Change Canada Vancouver, BC Real Property Institute of Canada Federal Contaminated Sites National Workshop Montreal 2016
REALITY CHECK: Ecological Risk Assessment is not needed if: • Contamination < CCME Tier 1, < Tier 2, or < background • Custodian decided to remediate to guidelines • Remediation is less costly and has no negative impacts Risk Assessment is not the “do nothing approach” • If risk is identified – risk management or remediation is required
FCSAP Decision Making Framework • Road-map on how to manage federal contaminated sites within the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan • When to conduct Ecological Risk Assessment • References and links to guidance for all stages of contaminated sites management • federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca
FCSAP Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance Comprehensive Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance • Technical guidance for all phases of ERA • Supplemental to CCME 1996, 1997 guidance Technical Ecological Risk Assessment Modules • Stand-alone appendices to Comprehensive ERA guidance • Specific guidance for certain aspects of ERA Tool for Risk Assessment Validation • ERA checklist • Part of FCSAP Site Closure Tool Standard Terms of Reference Website • To be included in ERA contracts federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca • Federal Custodians only Email FCSAP.PASCF@ec.gc.ca
FCSAP Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance Problem Formulation Exposure Effects Assessment Assessment Iterative feedback at all Risk Characterization stages
Problem Formulation Receptor 1 (Assessment Endpoint A) Receptor 2 (Assessment Endpoint B) Line of Line of Line of Evidence 1 Evidence 3 Evidence 2 Exposure Exposure Effects Effects Assessment Assessment Assessment Assessment Line of Line of Evidence Evidence Evaluation Evaluation Risk Characterization Risk Characterization (Weight of Evidence) (Weight of Evidence) Overall Risk Characterization 7
+ ERA Strategy Problem Formulation Receptor 1 (Assessment Endpoint A) Receptor 2 (Assessment Endpoint B) Line of Line of Line of Evidence 1 Evidence 3 Evidence 2 Exposure Exposure Effects Effects Assessment Assessment Assessment Assessment Line of Line of Evidence Evidence Evaluation Evaluation Risk Characterization Risk Characterization (Weight of Evidence) (Weight of Evidence) Overall Risk Characterization 8
KEY MESSAGES Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance Receptors of Concern: • Consider all possible receptors • Identify relevant receptors Exposure Pathways • Risk varies with exposure pathways • Consider all possible pathways • Identify relevant pathways Lines of Evidence • Lines of Evidence = methods to evaluate the risk to receptors • Relevant to Receptors/Pathways • Hazard Quotient is only one type • Weight of Evidence Approach
FCSAP Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance Comprehensive Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance • Technical guidance for all phases of ERA • Supplemental to CCME 1996, 1997 guidance Technical Ecological Risk Assessment Modules • Stand-alone appendices to Comprehensive ERA guidance • Specific guidance for certain aspects of ERA Tool for Risk Assessment Validation • ERA checklist • Part of FCSAP Site Closure Tool Standard Terms of Reference • To be included in ERA contracts Website federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca • Federal Custodians only Email FCSAP.PASCF@ec.gc.ca
Ecological Risk Assessment Modules - Completed - Module 1: Toxicity Test Selection & Interpretation � Overview of Toxicity Testing in Ecological Risk Assessment � Interactive Excel Tables to select appropriate toxicity tests for ERA Module 2: Selection & Development of Toxicity Reference Values � Different Types of Toxicity Reference Values (TRVs) and their use in ERA � How to select TRVs from published sources � How to derive site-specific TRVs Module 3: Standardization of Wildlife Receptor Characteristics � Default Receptor Characteristics for 26 Wildlife Species � Habitat Type, Home Range, Body Weight, Foraging, Diet, Food/Water/Incidental Soil/ Sediment Ingestion Rates Module 4: Causality Assessment � Risk due to contamination or due to other factors on site? � How to evaluate what causes effects.
Ecological Risk Assessment Modules - In Development - Module 5 - final draft available upon request Defining Background Conditions and Using Background Concentrations Module 6 - preliminary draft for review expected summer 2016 Ecological Risk Assessment for Amphibians on Federal Contaminated Sites Module 7 - preliminary draft for review expected summer 2016 Default Wildlife Toxicity Reference Values (TRVs) Recommended for Use at FCSAP Sites
Module 5 Defining Background Conditions and Using Background Concentrations • Guidance on how to deal with sites with high background concentrations of metals • Selecting Contaminants of Concern: compare to site-specific background • Establish background with Independent Sites or Gradient Approach • Use statistics to compare background vs. on-site data, or • Compare on-site samples to 95% UCLM of background
Module 5 Defining Background Conditions and Using Background Concentrations • How to conduct an Ecological Risk Assessment when receptors are adapted or acclimated to high background concentrations • Hazard Quotients inappropriate in many situations • Toxicity Reference Values derived from “non-acclimatized” receptors • If background concentrations contribute substantially to exposure use other lines of evidence to assess risk and set remediation objectives
Module 6 Ecological Risk Assessment for Amphibians Water? What species? When Are Amphibians Receptors Of Concern? Adequate habitat for species? Contamination?
Module 6 Ecological Risk Assessment for Amphibians How to study risk to amphibians? Guidance provided on four types of effects assessment: Conduct site-specific toxicity studies Conduct site-specific biological studies Compare to published biological studies Compare to published toxicity studies
Concentration-Response Profiles Compilation of individual concentration-response profiles.
Multi-Study Concentration Response Profile Cd Effects likely Effects unlikely
Module 7 Default Wildlife Toxicity Reference Values (TRVs) Recommended for Use at FCSAP Sites • Toxicity Reference Values for mammals and birds • For screening level ERAs if truly site-specific TRVs not available • Default TRVs selected from existing TRVs based on compliance with recommended TRV derivation process as per Module 2 • Evaluation Matrix categorized TRVs based on quality: Generally consistent FCSAP guidance - no change needed A Some limitations – update when possible B Major limitations – use with caution C N/S Several TRVs considered , but no suitable TRV identified N/A No TRV available
FCSAP Default TRVs DRAFT
FCSAP Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance Comprehensive Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance • Technical guidance for all phases of ERA • Supplemental to CCME 1996, 1997 guidance Technical Ecological Risk Assessment Modules • Stand-alone appendices to Comprehensive ERA guidance • Specific guidance for certain aspects of ERA Tool for Risk Assessment Validation • ERA checklist • Part of FCSAP Site Closure Tool Standard Terms of Reference • To be included in ERA contracts Website federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca • Federal Custodians only Email FCSAP.PASCF@ec.gc.ca
Tool for Risk Assessment Validation TRAV is a component of PWGSC Site Closure Tool: � Excel based site closure documentation to be completed by custodian � Summarizes site assessment/remediation/risk management activities � Demonstrates that contamination at the site has been removed or managed so that risk is now “acceptable” � Indicates “No further work required” � Records site restrictions (e.g. land use = industrial, water not to be used for drinking water) TRAV component applies to risk-assessed sites � Selected spreadsheets within the site closure tool � Validates risk assessment methods and conclusions
Tool for Risk Assessment Validation Site closure not possible. Were there any YES Risk may still be present. Major Deficiencies in Further work required the Risk Assessment? = address deficiencies in risk assessment. NO Site closure not possible. YES Did the Risk Assessment Risk still present. Identify Unacceptable Risk ? Further work required = implement risk management or remediate. NO Site Closure Possible No Further Work Required
FCSAP Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance Comprehensive Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance • Technical guidance for all phases of ERA • Supplemental to CCME 1996, 1997 guidance Technical Ecological Risk Assessment Modules • Stand-alone appendices to Comprehensive ERA guidance • Specific guidance for certain aspects of ERA Tool for Risk Assessment Validation • ERA checklist • Part of FCSAP Site Closure Tool Standard Terms of Reference • To be included in ERA contracts Website federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca • Federal Custodians only Email FCSAP.PASCF@ec.gc.ca
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