Soil Generic Assessment Criteria for Human Health Risk ... - ESdat

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As a result it is anticipated that these GAC will become widely accepted and draw authority in the UK as appropriate
screening criteria to aid the assessment of risks to human health from soil contamination in the UK.
2.2.4
Other considerations when using the EIC/AGS/CL:AIRE or
other GAC
There are a number of other aspects that must be considered regarding the EIC/AGS/CL:AIRE GAC :
• Alternative GAC. The selection of parameter values was conducted in general accordance with
the CLEA framework and in particular the Environment Agency of England and Wales SR2
(Environment Agency, 2009c) and SR7 (Environment Agency, 2008) reports. The adherence to
protocol increases consistency in parameter value choice but does not remove the necessity for
professional judgement. Others may disagree with the professional judgements made and so this
report attempts to be as transparent as possible to allow others to utilise the data but make their
own professional judgement on parameter value selection. Importantly, differences in professional
opinion over parameter value selection can mean that two alternative GAC for one contaminant
are equally valid. Thus the availability of EIC/AGS/CL:AIRE GAC does not invalidate other GAC
produced and used by other organisations in the UK for the same contaminants, provided that the
assumptions used for their derivation are clearly set out to enable an assessor to understand the
differences and to make their own decision on which is appropriate in the specific circumstances.
Definition and Use
• Lifetime of EIC/AGS/CL:AIRE GAC . The EIC/AGS/CL:AIRE GAC have been derived using the latest
CLEA model (v1.06) and framework guidance available at the time of writing. The validity of the
GAC may need to be re-considered if the CLEA model or guidance documents are revised in the
future. This also applies to the data from which the contaminant properties have been derived for
the EIC/AGS/CL:AIRE GAC . For example, the health criteria values (HCV) used for deriving the GAC
are based on authoritative toxicological reviews available when the EIC research was conducted
in spring/summer 2009. New toxicological studies or the revised interpretation of existing studies
could mean that some of the HCV used will become outdated. Assessors should be aware of this
possibility and assess the suitability of the GAC should this occur. Additionally, should an SGV
report for a substance contained in this report be published by the Environment Agency of England
and Wales, the SGV would take precedence over the relevant GAC.
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