Assessment of Site Contamination NEPM

The appropriate use of investigation levels is an important component in the assessment of existing contaminated sites. In particular, it is important to be able to select the most appropriate investigation levels for use from a range of environmental settings and land-use scenarios that are based on considerations including the protection of health, ecology, groundwater, structures, and aesthetics.

In the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for the Assessment and Management of Contaminated Sites (ANZECC/NHMRC Guidelines (1992)) a balance between the use of soil criteria and site-specific assessment was recognised. This document builds on that approach and extends it to the assessment of groundwater.

This Guideline incorporates aspects of the ANZECC Guidelines for the Laboratory Analysis of Contaminated Soil 1996, which were prepared in response to a recognised need for consistent procedures of soil analysis for environmental assessment of contaminated land.

The Guideline covers the philosophy behind the methods selected, it also comprises guidelines on the quality assurance procedures and techniques for sample preparation and describes methods for the analysis of physico-chemical properties, inorganics and organics in soil.

The overall aim of this guideline is to promote a consistent, rational approach to ecological risk assessment of site contamination throughout Australia. Specifically, this document aims to provide a clear framework for ecological risk assessment for chemically contaminated soils that can be readily and consistently used by jurisdictional environmental agencies and risk assessors.

This guideline was published jointly with the National Environmental Health Forum (NEHF) and is part of a series of NEHF monographs.

This guideline discusses the general principles for deriving guidance values for health-based investigation levels and also explores the process applied to develop health-based investigation levels for soils.

This guideline provides a systematic approach to effective community consultation and risk communication in relation to the assessment of site contamination. It is not intended to be prescriptive but is intended to be used as a tool for effective consultation by consultants and regulators and should also provide a useful reference for all stakeholders including industry, government, landholders and the wider community. It should be noted that, in addition to this Guideline, each State or Territory has its own regulatory requirements regarding notification of pollution to the appropriate regulatory agency.

The purpose of this guideline is to describe the competencies which are essential to contaminated site assessment and investigation and provide a general framework for appointment or acceptance by regulatory authorities of contaminated land professionals who are required under statute to certify site assessments.

The purpose of this paper was to encourage discussion on the options put forward to address issues raised during the review.
The paper examines options to address issues such as the derivation and use of ecological-based investigation levels and health-based investigation levels, investigation levels for substances currently not included in the NEPM, various aspects of assessment procedures and quality control mechanisms, community consultation, and consultant competencies. It was aimed at establishing preferred options to recommend to NEPC to consider in initiating amendments to the NEPM.

The purpose of this Issues Paper was to identify and discuss the key issues that were to be addressed in the Review of the Assessment of Site Contamination NEPM. The paper does not stipulate a position on any issue, and as such does not reflect the views of the Commonwealth or state and territory governments.