Overview of the risk assessment process in relation to groundwater contamination
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
- Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK (United States). School of Civil Engineering
An overview is presented of the risk assessment process as it pertains to various aspects of groundwater contamination and remediation. Several standard techniques are reviewed and are shown to involve large uncertainties because of the many different, site-specific conditions that exist in actual practice. The problem stems from a lack of appropriate data, lack of quantitative methods and models, a hesitancy to spend the funds necessary to develop needed methodologies, and regulatory safety margins set with little recognition of the desires of and costs to society. Also discussed is the controversy about the magnitude and nature of risks that are acceptable to the public. Pollution control programs generally do not focus on the concept of a residual risk or failure. A relatively new view of a role of the groundwater professional, therefore, is to minimize risk to levels consistent with environmental, social, economic, and political goals of society. Risk assessment and risk management must be incorporated into the design, construction, and operation of processes associated with groundwater pollution evaluation and control. While risk analyses are important in their own right, they cannot be relied on to satisfy the desire of agency officials and the public to provide bottom-line knowledge of risks.
- OSTI ID:
- 7239788
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Professional; (United States), Vol. 15:3; ISSN 0191-5398
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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