Detailed testing: step 5 of federal contaminated sites decision-making framework

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Step 5: detailed testing program

If the results of the Initial Testing Program (Step 3) indicate that contaminant levels exceed guidelines or background levels and may pose a risk, a detailed testing program may be required in order to address outstanding issues.

Step 5 involves investigating site conditions, characterizing the impacted media and further delineating the areas of concern identified during Step 3. The Detailed Testing Program is accomplished by developing and completing a Phase III Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), updating and finalising the Conceptual Site Model (CSM) from the Initial Testing (Step 3), and continuing consultations with stakeholders. Sustainable site assessment methods should be implemented. Furthermore, for each of these activities, future climate change considerations should be observed.

The type and scope of the detailed assessment to be conducted at Step 5 depend on the site conditions and should aim to allow a determination if further management action is required, and aim to allow a robust classification of the site as per CCME National Classification System Detailed Evaluation Form (in Step 6).

Generally, the detailed testing program will concentrate on areas identified in the initial testing program and involve a similar systematic process of sampling and analysis, evaluation, conclusions and recommendations; however, a greater number of samples are usually collected and a smaller suite of chemical substances may be analyzed as the program converges on the environmental issues and the full extent of the contamination.

Key decision(s)

• Determine the need for revising existing detailed site assessment in order to ensure sufficient information has been gathered to classify site in Step 6
• Determined the need to further substantiate the existing initial site assessment (Step 3) in order to ensure sufficient information has been gathered in Step 6
• Conduct a more detailed assessment of the effects of climate change at the site based on the preliminary assessment in Step 3
• Determine pathways for integrating sustainable site assessment practices into the site assessment that target reducing energy use and minimizing waste production

How Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) expert support can assist

• assist with determining level of impact to fish and fish habitat (e.g., contaminants-related impacts to fish habitat).
• provide advice on physical processes (e.g., erosion/deposition, susceptibility to tides/currents/floods) that could affect fish and fish habitat
• review documents (e.g., draft site assessment) with respect to fish and fish habitat
• provide advice to custodians on the development of terms of reference for contracts to prevent or mitigate potential impacts to fish and fish habitat associated with testing
• review sampling plan to ensure that data collected will accurately represent the site and assess risks to fish and fish habitat
• participate in site visit activities
• assist with the identification of aquatic receptors and pathways to focus on during the assessment.
• provide assistance in applying the Framework for Addressing and Managing Aquatic Contaminated Sites under the FCSAP (FCSAP, 2011)
• provide advice on compliance requirements under the Fisheries Act and other environmental requirements

How Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) expert support can assist

• review environmental site assessment (ESA) reports and provide advice on treatment of data
• review sampling plan to ensure that data collected will accurately represent the site and assess ecological risks
• provide advice on sampling and analytical techniques and technologies
• provide advice on data requirements of an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) and future monitoring plans
• provide advice on quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) programs
• provide advice on applicable environmental quality guidelines
• participate in site visit activities
• provide advice on developing a site management strategy
• provide advice on compliance requirements under the Fisheries Act and other environmental requirements

How Health Canada (HC) expert support can assist

• review ESA reports and CSM
• review sampling plan to ensure that data collected will accurately represent the site and provide input for the assessment of potential human health risks
• provide advice on sampling techniques and technologies
• provide advice on data requirements of a Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) and future monitoring plans.
• provide advice on QA/QCprograms
• provide advice on applicable environmental quality guidelines
• participate in site visit activities
• provide advice on developing a site management strategy
• provide advice on the treatment of data
• review ESA reports, and where applicable, PQRA, and provide detailed technical comments regarding the data requirements necessary to adequately characterize contamination at the site
• review the sampling and analysis plan to ensure that data collected will be useful in delineating contamination at the site and that the data will be adequate to support the assessment of human health risks
• provide advice on the development of terms of reference for contracts for HHRA
• provide advice on the selection and/or development of human-health-based remediation criteria and/or risk management
• provide advice, guidance and training on the characterization and delineation of contamination at a site so that custodians can adequately characterize their site for the purpose of risk management
• provide advice, guidance and training on HHRA so that custodians can obtain adequate data for use in site management with the goal of risk reduction
• participate in site visit activities
• assist with developing a CSM that includes the identification of human receptors and pathways, and that allows more targeted site investigation, which will allow for proper characterization of the contamination as it applies to human exposure
• provide advice on applicable human-health-based guidelines and standards and/or recommended interim values where guidelines and standards area not available (e.g., perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS))

How Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) expert support can assist

• provide advice throughout Step 5, including on the development of a statement of work (SOW), completion of the Phase III and preliminary liabilities estimates and the use of project management tools such as preliminary project planning and the project charter
• provide advice to custodians in the development of terms of reference for contracts
• assist in determining whether further work is required or no further action is necessary

How the FCSAP Secretariat can assist

• provide assistance in using the Eligible Cost Guidance, v. 5.0 document (FCSAP, update in progress) as required

Supporting documents and tools specific to Step 5

Please also refer to the list of “Supporting documents and tools useful throughout the 10-step process” at the beginning of the document.

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Guidance

• Guidance Manual on Sampling, Analysis, and Data Management for Contaminated Sites – Volume I: Main Report (CCME, 1993)
• Guidance Manual on Sampling, Analysis, and Data Management for Contaminated Sites – Volume II: Analytical Method Summaries (CCME, 1993)
• Subsurface Assessment Handbook for Contaminated Sites (CCME, 1994)
• Canada-Wide Standard for Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil (CCME, 2001)
• CCME Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines (Soil, Water, Sediment):
  • A Protocol for the Derivation of Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life (CCME, 2007)
  • A Protocol for the Derivation of Environmental and Human Health Soil Quality Guidelines (CCME, 2006)
  • A Protocol for the Derivation of Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life (CCME, 1995)
  • A Protocol For The Derivation Of Groundwater Quality Guidelines For Use At Contaminated Sites (CCME, 2015)

Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Guidance

• FCSAP Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance (FCSAP, 2012)
  • Module 1: Toxicity Test Selection and Interpretation (FCSAP, 2010)
  • Module 2: Selection or Development of Site-specific Toxicity Reference Values (FCSAP, 2010)
  • Module 3: Standardization of Wildlife Receptor Characteristics (FCSAP, 2012)
  • Module 4: Causality Assessment: Determining the Causes of Impairment at Contaminated Sites: Are Observed Effects Due to Exposure to Site-Related Chemicals or Due to Other Stressors? (FCSAP, 2013)
  • Module 5: Defining Background Conditions and Using Background Concentrations (not currently available)
• FCSAP Guidance Document on Statements of Work for Ecological Risk Assessments (ERAs) at Federal Sites (FCSAP, 2011)
• Federal Interim Groundwater Guidelines (FCSAP, 2016)
  • Federal Interim Groundwater Guidelines Update (FCSAP, 2016)

Other guidance

• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standards for Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (CSA, 2000)
• Canada–Ontario Decision-Making Framework (DMF) for Assessment of Great Lakes Contaminated Sediment (ECCC and MOE, 2008)
• For Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) Federal Contaminated Site Risk Assessment in Canada:
  • Part I: Guidance on Human Health Preliminary Quantitative Risk Assessment (PQRA), Version 2.0 (HC, 2012) available on request from cs-sc@hc-sc.gc.ca,
  • Part II: Health Canada Toxicological Reference Values (TRVs) and Chemical-Specific Factors, Version 2.0 (HC, 2010) available on request from cs-sc@hc-sc.gc.ca,
  • Part III: Guidance on Peer Review of Human Health Risk Assessments for Federal Contaminated Sites in Canada, Version 2.0 (HC, 2010)
  • Part V Guidance on Human Health Detailed Quantitative Risk Assessment for Chemicals (DQRA_CHEM) (HC, 2010)
  • Part VI: Guidance on Human Health Detailed Quantitative Radiological Risk Assessment (DQRA_RAD) (HC, 2010)
  • Part VII: Guidance for Soil Vapour Intrusion Assessment at Contaminated Sites (HC, 2010)
• Supplemental Guidance on Developing a Contract Statement of Work (SOW) for Human Health Preliminary Quantitative Risk Assessment (PQRA) and Detailed Quantitative Risk Assessment (DQRA) (HC, 2010)
• Supplemental Guidance on Human Health Risk Assessment for Country Foods (HHRAFoods) (HC, 2010)
• Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (HC, 2014)