December 1999

SNIFFER commissioned this research project to develop the first level of a technical method to derive site specific numeric targets for contaminants in soil, to assist in the protection of statutorily designated terrestrial ecosystems. This report is the second of two reports published under this contract. The project was primarily aimed at meeting the needs of regulators concerned with the remediation of contaminated land under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. However, the output of this research project may also be of use to others concerned with the assessment and management of land which is contaminated and adversely impacting on ecosystems within a designated location. The method also has the potential to be applied to non-designated sites.

The method was required to be transparent, robust, rapid to carry out, practical and scientifically defensible. The method has been developed on the basis that a preliminary risk assessment will have already been conducted and the substances deemed to present a risk of adverse effects on the ecosystem have been identified.

The first report ‘A Protocol for Assessing Potential Adverse Effects of Substance in Soil on Designated Terrestrial Ecosystems’ (The Protocol’) - provides the background and assessments behind the proposed methodology for deriving numeric targets for contaminated soil to protect ecosystems.

This report ‘A Guidance Manual for Assessing Potential Adverse Effects of Substance in Soil on Designated Terrestrial Ecosystems’ (‘The Guidance Manual’) describes, in a stepwise manner, the proposed process for deriving a numeric target for contaminated soil to protect ecosystems and should be read in conjunction with ‘The Protocol’. This report also includes four case studies, which aim to serve as an illustration on how the method can be applied.

Contaminated land, soil, terrestrial ecosystem, numeric target, plants, invertebrates, microbial processes, secondary poisoning

Copies of this report may be obtained from FWR, price £35.00, less 20% for FWR Members.