• Quality of data used to support the required risk assessment
• Appropriate development of exposure point concentrations
• Identification of hot spots
• Characterization of background and local conditions

Risk Characterization

• Appropriate application of tier approaches to risk characterization
  • Tier 1: Comparison of soil and/or groundwater exposure point concentrations to state cleanup standards
  • Tier 2: Modification or development of supplementary soil and groundwater cleanup standards; applied as in Tier 1
  • Tier 3: Cumulative site-specific evaluation of human health risks; incorporates compound concentrations, toxicity data and exposure information. Risks to safety, public welfare and the environment are evaluated separately.
    
    
• Qualitative assessment of safety and the public welfare
  
  
• Risk-based ecological screening: receptor and habitat identification; identification of local conditions; comparison of site conditions to standards and benchmarks
  

Documentation

Procedures and results must be fully documented and presented in the form of a final report. Hazard assessment, exposure assessment and toxicity data must be well defined and referenced.


TOXICOLOGY

KERA will research toxicological concepts and chemical-specific toxicity for risk assessment and chemical evaluation. Findings derived from up-to-date database searches, critical literature reviews and contact with related experts in the field of toxicology will be fully referenced and documented. Reports can be prepared to advance an understanding of specified subject matter or to develop scientifically defensible arguments in support of a technical position. Peer review services are also available in selected areas of toxicology. References and project summaries are available upon request.