Risk Assessments Services

Regulatory agencies responsible for the protection of human health and the environment have come to the practical realization that not all impacts to the environment can be readily mitigated using available technology. They also realize that not all impacts can be cleaned up to non-detectable levels, or background levels, as has previously been required. Risk-based guidelines for environmental cleanup are based on the premise that certain statistically derived levels of specific contaminants may remain in place and not represent a serious health hazard. These guidelines are divided into different categories or standards, depending on the location of the impacted area. Each category requires the application of stringent formulas for calculating whether a particular standard is met. Computerized models of site characteristics, contaminant levels, groundwater data, and the on-going fluctuations in all of these, assist greatly in the process of achieving an appropriate riskbased standard, and thereby obtaining site closure. In more and more cases, computerized models are actually required by the regulating agency.