Beyond quotients: Costs and benefits of using quantitative risk assessment approaches in a regulatory program

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:40069

Moore, D R.J.; Breton, R L; Windle, W ^[1]

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1. Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

Between February 1989 and February 1994, Environment Canada completed ecological assessments on 44 substances, mixtures and effluents as mandated under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). Most of these assessments relied on the quotient method in which an estimated environmental concentration was divided by the estimated effects threshold for sensitive endpoints. Quotients were calculated for different endpoints at sites in Canada, and substances having quotients > 1 were declared ``toxic`` as defined under CEPA. While this approach was effective in identifying the need for management actions, the authors initiated a review of quantitative risk assessment methods that are currently available or under development. The purpose was to determine if such methods (1) provide a more thorough understanding of the risks posed by priority substances released to the Canadian environment and (2) are feasible given the data and time constraints of the CEPA regulatory program. The methods investigated included Monte Carlo simulations and fuzzy arithmetics to explicitly estimate quotient uncertainty, and food web models that estimate risks arising from both direct and indirect effects. This presentation will discuss the results of these analyses for several priority substances, with regard to the feasibility, cost and benefits of using quantitative risk assessment methods in the CEPA regulatory program.

• OSTI ID: 40069
• Report Number(s): CONF-9410273--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
CANADA
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RISK ASSESSMENT