The CIEH has issued guidance for councils to help clarify the risks posed by contaminated land.
The note says bioaccessibility-based estimates of bioavailability are frequently misused in detailed quantitative risk assessments (DQRA). ‘The aim of this Practice Note is therefore to assist report reviewers in recognising good practice while identifying and rejecting common misuses of bioaccessibility test results in DQRA,’ it says.
CIEH Principal Policy Officer Howard Price said:
“Whether under Part 2A or in the planning context, reliance on estimates of contaminant intakes are likely to over-estimate health risks unless bioavailability is taken into account.
“Bioavailability data are, however, often misunderstood or misused and this latest Practice Note, released to accompany training on the topic under our EMAQ+ package, is aimed at preventing that.”
Its objectives are to reinforce the formal regulatory and policy position, highlight good practice and commonly encountered misuses, dispel myths and improve communication between regulators and other stakeholders.
The guidance note can be downloaded here.