Soil Generic Assessment Criteria for Human Health Risk Assessment is a technique used to examine the dangers which result from the release of pollutants into the land. The risks are identified and the likely impact of damage determined. Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC) in the United Kingdom aims at supplementing the Soil Guideline Values (SGV) which were established by the Environment Agency of England and Wales.
The EIC/AGS/CL: AIRE GAC refers to a scientific screening technique established using the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) framework which utilizes generic assumptions regarding chemical transport in the environment. The method is used to assess the risk posed by soil contaminants to human health when people are exposed to contaminants. It, therefore, determines the concentration of chemicals in the soil and thus sets the levels which can be considered to be tolerable or acceptable. The EIC/AGS/CL: AIRE GAC is also used to determine whether Detailed Quantitative Risk Assessments (DQRA) is necessary to evaluate the extent of risk from soil contaminations.
EIC/AGS/CL: AIRE GAC is applied to evaluate a range of land use options by examining the soil properties at the respective sites. An example is construction sites whereby considerations should be made to ascertain the risk posed to workers, for instance, through inhalation of vapours. Consequently, it is used to evaluate the risk of pipe water contamination through the diffusion of pollutants.
The Soil Generic Assessment Criteria is, therefore, beneficial as it aims at upholding human health by providing a standard of measure used to evaluate the levels of soil contamination and associated risks. In situations where the values exceed the tolerable limits, appropriate courses of action are adopted to ensure the safety of the people. It is an essential tool in the decision-making process regarding land use options.
For more information on CL:AIR GAC and soil guideline values, you can use the fantastic resource available on the environmental standards page of the esdat.net website to search and use environmental standards and guidelines. Environmental Standards are available for air, water and soil for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Holland and from the World Health Organization.
Reference
CLAIRE (n.d). Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC). Retrieved from https://www.claire.co.uk/projects-and-initiatives/39-generic-assessment-criteria-gac/108-generic-assessment-criteria-gac
