Assessing Risk
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Resources and ToolsFeedback
The following are sources and tool resources related to risk assessment.
EPAFeedback
EPA has developed many tools and resources to help in the revitalization process, including information about: beginning a revitalization project, assessing a site, investigating a site, cleanup options, cleanup design and implementation, incentives, and regulations. In addition, many states and other stakeholders have also developed useful materials. A list of some of the policies and documents developed by EPA is presented in the EPA Guidance and Documents Exhibit. These documents are available through EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Brownfields Web Site. Click on “Tools & Technical Information” for an index of publications.
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Topic
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Document Title
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Summary
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Cumulative Risk Assessment Guidance-Phase I Planning and Scoping
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The focus of risk assessment within EPA is evolving away from the potential of a single pollutant in one environmental medium toward integrated assessments involving suites of pollutants in several media that may cause a variety of adverse effects on humans, plants, animals, or even on ecological systems and their processes and functions.
EPA's risk assessment emphasis has shifted increasingly to a more broadly based approach characterized by greater consideration of multiple endpoints, sources, pathways and routes of exposure; community-based decision-making; flexibility in achieving goals; case-specific responses; a focus on all of the environmental media; and significantly, holistic reduction of risk (Table 1). This more complex assessment involves cumulative risk assessment. It is defined in each case according to who or what is at risk of adverse effects—from identifiable sources and stressors—through several routes of exposure over varied time frames.
The term "cumulative risk assessment" covers a wide variety of risks. Currently, EPA assessments describe, and where possible quantify, the risks of adverse human health and ecological effects from chemicals, radiation, and biological stressors. Also, as part of planning an integrated risk assessment, risk assessors must define dimensions of the assessment, including the characteristics of the population at risk. These include individuals or sensitive subgroups which may be highly susceptible to risks from stressors or groups of stressors due to their age (for example, risks to infants and children), gender, disease history, size, or developmental stage
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ASTMFeedback
ASTM INTERNATIONAL (ASTM), a not-for-profit organization, provides a forum for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems, and services. More than 32,000 members representing producers, users, ultimate consumers, and representatives of government and academia from over 100 countries develop documents that serve as a basis for manufacturing, procurement, and regulatory activities.
ASTM develops standard test methods, specifications, practices, guides, classifications, and terminology in 130 areas covering subjects such as metals, paints, plastics, textiles, petroleum, construction, energy, the environment, consumer products, medical services and devices, computerized systems, electronics, and many others. ASTM has no technical research or testing facilities; such work is done voluntarily by the ASTM members located throughout the world.
The ASTM guidance documents are published for use in site revitalization. These resources, and additional applicable resources, can be purchased through ASTM’s Web Site. At this time, the ASTM website is the only known official source for purchasing ASTM methods.
Other Risk Assessment ToolsFeedback
A variety of risk assessment tools are available. The Risk Assessment Tool Exhibit provides a list of some of these tools, a description of their use, and applicability.
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Tool
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Description
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Applicability
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Framework for Risk Analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems (FRAMES)
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FRAMES is a software platform developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory designed to allow environmental modelers to link their preferred computer code for source, fate and transport, exposure, and risk assessment with other modeling codes to provide for an integrated risk assessment.
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A software platform for selecting and implementing environmental software models for risk assessment and management problems.
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GeoSEM is designed to allow interactive web-based probabilistic risk assessment based on spatial statistics.
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Geostatistics has not been widely applied to risk assessment, even though uncertainty in the exposure concentration is often a major source of uncertainty in risk estimates. The exposure point concentration represents the chemical concentration to which a receptor may be exposed for a toxicologically relevant time period within a geographic area called an exposure unit (EU) (EPA, 1989)
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Provides proven predictive exposure assessment techniques for aquatic, terrestrial, and multimedia pathways for organic chemicals and metals.
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Meets the scientific and technical exposure assessment needs of EPA and state environmental and resource management agencies.
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A web-based system used to disseminate risk tools and supply information for risk assessment activities.
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The Risk Assessment Tools include: Risk-Based Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) calculations, a Toxicity data base, Risk Calculations, and Ecological Benchmarks.
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Offers risk assessment guidance, links to tools, publications, training, and links.
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Provides expert project support regarding human health and ecological risk assessment issues and procedures.
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Provides data, references, and guidance for conducting exposure assessments for wildlife species exposed to toxic chemicals in their environment.
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Promote the application of risk assessment methods to wildlife species, foster a consistent approach to wildlife exposure and risk assessments, and increase the accessibility of the literature applicable to these assessments.
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