Protocol for the Derivation of Environmental and Human ... - CCME

Part A, Section 1
1.2.2.2 Remediation Criteria. The remediation criteria are numerical values assigned to substances in
soil and water. These generic criteria were adopted from jurisdictions across Canada. The criteria
were developed to protect human health and the environment for specified uses of soil and water at
contaminated sites. Remediation criteria for soil are presented for four land uses: agricultural,
residential/parkland, commercial, and industrial.
Remediation criteria indicate the concentration of contaminant in soil at or below which no human
health/environmental risk is anticipated. The criteria can also provide a framework for developing
remediation objectives. Depending on local circumstances, the criteria may be adopted directly or
modified to reflect site-specific conditions. Where it is not technologically or otherwise feasible to
remediate the site, the remediation criteria can provide guidance on land-use restrictions or other risk
management options to protect human health and the environment.
A 1991 review of existing generic soil criteria from environmental agencies around the world revealed
that no agency has a method to consistently set generic soil guidelines (Environment Canada, 1991).
Many existing criteria for soil are not scientifically defensible and require more testing to be included in
the NCSRP.
Recognizing the lack of a consistent and scientifically defensible method for deriving remediation
guidelines, the CCME asked the SEQCCS to develop A Protocol for the Derivation of
Environmental and Human Health Soil Quality Guidelines. The protocol focuses on soil because of
the current lack of scientific development in this area. The Interim Criteria will remain in use until the
protocol is approved and implemented by federal and provincial agencies. While the protocol will be
used to derive effects-based remediation guidelines to replace the Interim Criteria, it is not normally a
site manager's tool. The updated remediation guidelines can, however, help site managers in the same
way as the interim remediation criteria.
Generic guidelines recommend levels of contaminants in soil that protect human health and the
environment (invertebrates, plants, animals, and their habitats), for a broad range of sites. Site-specific
conditions, however, are important and guidance on setting site specific remediation objectives have
been developed. The approach to setting site-specific remediation objectives is described in Section
1.3.3. Ongoing work on site-specific risk assessment is examined in Section 1.3.4.
1.2.3 Guidance for Developing Site-specific Soil Quality Remediation Objectives for
Contaminated Sites in Canada
Whereas guidelines establish generic numerical concentrations of a contaminant considered safe for a
broad range of conditions and regions, objectives are numerical concentrations selected or derived to
define acceptable residual contamination at a specific site. How to establish these remediation
objectives is shown in the fourth step of Figure 1. The remediation objectives may be based directly on
the generic national guidelines (the "criteria-based approach") or on a detailed site risk assessment (the
"risk-based approach"). The adoption or adaptation of generic environmental quality guidelines for
site-specific use is called the "guidelines-based approach".
8