Health & Environmental Risk Assessment Peter W. Woodman Ph.D. R isk M anagement I ncorporated Environmental Services Division Acton, MA 01720-5676 (978) 266-2878 Copyright 1998-2007 © Fifth Annual Environmental Career Night “ Environmental Careers in a Perilous World ”

Role of Risk Assessors: Assessment & Communication Put your hand over your mouth when you sneeze; internal organs will be scarce in the post-nuclear age. Try to be neat; fall only in designated piles. Drive carefully in "Heavy Fallout" areas; people could be staggering illegally. Safety Tips for a Post-Nuclear Existence!!

Put your hand over your mouth when you sneeze; internal organs will be scarce in the post-nuclear age.

Try to be neat; fall only in designated piles.

Drive carefully in "Heavy Fallout" areas; people could be staggering illegally.

Unforeseen Risks A woman was killed from chlorine gas poisoning when she mixed Harpic ™ and Domestos ™ together in a confined space. She had inadvertently created the same conditions as experienced by the soldiers during a gas attack in the trenches of the First World War

Health & Environmental Risks Hazardous Chemicals : Heavy Metals, PCBs, Petroleum Products, Chlorinated Solvents Radionuclides : U, Th, Pu, Rn, Po Biological Agents : Molds, Bacteria, Viruses Genetically Modified Materials : Animals, Plants, Microorganisms, Pathogens

Hazardous Chemicals :

Heavy Metals, PCBs, Petroleum Products, Chlorinated Solvents

Radionuclides :

U, Th, Pu, Rn, Po

Biological Agents :

Molds, Bacteria, Viruses

Genetically Modified Materials :

Animals, Plants, Microorganisms, Pathogens

Risk-Impacted Media Indoor and Outdoor Air : Inhalation of vapors, particulates, spores Soil and Groundwater : Incidental/Intentional Ingestion; Dermal Contact; Inhalation of vapors, particulates, spores Surface Water/Environmental Habitats : Incidental/Intentional Ingestion; Dermal Contact

Indoor and Outdoor Air :

Inhalation of vapors, particulates, spores

Soil and Groundwater :

Incidental/Intentional Ingestion; Dermal

Contact; Inhalation of vapors, particulates, spores

Surface Water/Environmental Habitats :

Incidental/Intentional Ingestion; Dermal Contact

Receptors at Risk Human Health : General Public; Industrial or Commercial Employees; Residents, Site Trespassers; Site Workers Environmental : Wildlife, Terrestrial, Aquatic and Benthic Organisms Habitats of Threatened or Endangered Species

Human Health :

General Public; Industrial or Commercial Employees; Residents, Site Trespassers; Site Workers

Environmental :

Wildlife, Terrestrial, Aquatic and Benthic Organisms

Habitats of Threatened or Endangered Species

Risk Assessment : Acute, Subchronic, Chronic and Lifetime Exposures Human Health : Non-Cancer Endpoints of Toxicity – Hazard Indices Cancer Endpoints of Toxicity – Excess Lifetime Cancer Risks Comparison of EPCs to Standards & Criteria - Air; Drinking Water; Consumption of Fish

Human Health :

Non-Cancer Endpoints of Toxicity

– Hazard Indices

Cancer Endpoints of Toxicity

– Excess Lifetime Cancer Risks

Comparison of EPCs to Standards & Criteria

- Air; Drinking Water; Consumption of Fish

Risk Assessment: Acute, Subchronic, Chronic and Lifetime Exposures Environmental : Ecological Screening - Comparison of EPCs to NAWQC, Sediment Criteria, Toxicity Thresholds Field Studies - Habitat Assessments, Toxicity Studies in Indicator Species

Environmental :

Ecological Screening

- Comparison of EPCs to NAWQC,

Sediment Criteria, Toxicity Thresholds

Field Studies

- Habitat Assessments, Toxicity Studies

in Indicator Species

Risk Assessment Findings Human Health : Do Cumulative Non-Cancer Hazard Indices for Total Site Risk for Each Receptor Exceed Unity (i.e., HI ≥ 1) ? Do Cumulative Excess Lifetime Cancer Risks for Total Site Risk for Each Receptor Exceed One in a Hundred Thousand (i.e., 1 x 10 -5 )? Do EPCs Exceed Applicable Standards or Criteria? NO = “NO SIGNIFCANT RISKS”

Human Health :

Do Cumulative Non-Cancer Hazard

Indices for Total Site Risk for Each Receptor

Exceed Unity (i.e., HI ≥ 1) ?

Do Cumulative Excess Lifetime Cancer

Risks for Total Site Risk for Each Receptor

Exceed One in a Hundred Thousand

(i.e., 1 x 10 -5 )?

Do EPCs Exceed Applicable Standards or

Criteria?

NO = “NO SIGNIFCANT RISKS”

Risk Assessment Findings Environmental : Any Visible Signs of Apparent Harm? Any Impacted Critical Habitats, Vernal Pools, Threatened or Endangered Species? Do EPCs Exceed Applicable Standards or Criteria for Each Receptor? Do Individual Toxicity Quotients for Each Hazardous Material Exceed Unity? Any Positive Toxicity Tests for Indicator Species? NO = “NO SIGNIFCANT RISKS”

Environmental :

Any Visible Signs of Apparent Harm?

Any Impacted Critical Habitats, Vernal Pools,

Threatened or Endangered Species?

Do EPCs Exceed Applicable Standards or

Criteria for Each Receptor?

Do Individual Toxicity Quotients for Each

Hazardous Material Exceed Unity?

Any Positive Toxicity Tests for Indicator

Species?

NO = “NO SIGNIFCANT RISKS”

Risk Assessment Challenges Assessment : Be observant, ask questions, record details Work closely with environmental engineers and hydro geologists to understand and characterize the nature and extent of the hazardous contamination Identify impacted media and potential receptors

Assessment :

Be observant, ask questions, record details

Work closely with environmental engineers and

hydro geologists to understand and

characterize the nature and extent of the

hazardous contamination

Identify impacted media and potential receptors

Risk Assessment Challenges Assessment cont. : Determine if exposure pathways either exist or could potentially exist between the hazard and the receptor Assess risk using site-specific exposure assumptions and the most current toxicity information and standards available Work closely with your client, state and federal officials to ensure “No Surprises”

Assessment cont. :

Determine if exposure pathways either exist or

could potentially exist between the hazard and

the receptor

Assess risk using site-specific exposure

assumptions and the most current toxicity

information and standards available

Work closely with your client, state and federal

officials to ensure “No Surprises”

Risk Assessment Challenges Communication : Clearly describe the Conceptual Site Exposure Model and assumptions you use to assess the risks Discuss what the risk findings mean for both current and future foreseeable uses and activities of the release site

Communication :

Clearly describe the Conceptual Site Exposure

Model and assumptions you use to assess the

risks

Discuss what the risk findings mean for both

current and future foreseeable uses and activities

of the release site

Risk Assessment Challenges Communication cont. : Ensure that you discuss the uncertainty and conservative exposure assumptions associated with the risk findings - nothing is necessarily black or white! Finally, become part of the multidisciplinary team of environmental specialists that assess these risks and enjoy a common goal – to protect human health and the environment .

Communication cont. :

Ensure that you discuss the uncertainty

and conservative exposure assumptions

associated with the risk findings - nothing

is necessarily black or white!

Finally, become part of the multidisciplinary

team of environmental specialists that assess

these risks and enjoy a common goal – to

protect human health and the environment .