Human health risk assessments are probably the most common type of risk assessment as far as contaminated land is concerned. Local Authority planners across the country now insist that as part of a planning condition the developer needs to ensure that the site does not pose a risk to any human end users of the site. The condition usually states
“No development shall take place until an investigation and risk assessment into contamination at the site in accordance with the scheme to be approved in writing by the local authority has been carried out. The investigation and risk assessment shall include recommendations for remedial action and the development shall not be occupied until these recommendations have been implemented”.
There can also be further conditions imposed regarding remediation.
Developers should bare in mind that reports downloaded from the internet and other generic reports are NOT sufficient to satisfy any local authority, and will not be accepted as a phase I preliminary site investigation. This can result in delay to projects and also wasted money.
GeoCon create a Conceptual Site Model (CSM) as part of any phase I preliminary site investigation to identify any potential sources of contamination and any pathways where a source can come in to contact with a potential receptor such as human being living at a property developed on a site. This is know as a “pollutant linkage”, and if present further action would be required.
Further action would then involve ground investigation, chemical sampling, analysis and risk assessment.
GeoCon use the latest national and international guidance to perform an initial Generic Quantitative Risk Assessment (GQRA) for human health by comparison of the soil analytical results against the published guidance criteria. These can be classified as Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC) and are widely referred to by consultants, Regulatory Authorities and other professionals within the industry.
In some cases further more detailed risk assessment may be required based on the findings of the phase II site investigation and would include additional ground investigation, chemical sampling and analysis at closer spacing and frequencies to the phase II site investigation and would then involve a Detailed Quantitative Risk Assessment (DQRA).
