ASTM E3240-20
(Guide)Standard Guide for Risk-Based Corrective Action for Contaminated Sediment Sites
Standard Guide for Risk-Based Corrective Action for Contaminated Sediment Sites
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This guide provides a consistent and transparent decision-making process for selecting risk-based corrective actions at sediment sites (that is, a Sediment-RBCA). Sediment-RBCA shares the same process as other RBCAs described in E1739, E2081, and E2205/E2205M but with explicit consideration of the constraints on how the available sediment assessment techniques impact decision making. Several factors exist that distinguish sediment sites from upland sites and warrant unique consideration, including background, potential for recontamination, sediment stability, sediment processes, lack of control on exposure and transport, exposure pathways and receptors, and unique site characteristics such as public lands, lack of site control on use and access. The diversity of available assessment techniques for a sediment site is considerably larger than for other media. Guidance on the technical tools themselves are described in other ASTM guides and regulatory guidance manuals.
4.2 Sediment-RBCA incorporates the same paradigm of planning and scoping, problem formulation, exposure and effects assessments, risk characterization, and uncertainty analysis that is common to ecological and human health risk assessment guidance documents. Irrespective of terminology, both Sediment-RBCA and risk assessment share the same science-based process and share the same goal of informing risk management decisions. The specific approach used to develop risk-based human health and ecological criteria and risk-based management plans may vary from site to site based on jurisdictional requirements, site complexity, TPDs, and best professional judgment regarding the appropriate use of different assessment techniques. Some attributes of Sediment-RBCA are:
4.2.1 Description of a tiered approach, including process flow charts, to identify critical steps and provide an overview of the entire RBCA process;
4.2.2 Identification, development, and use of TPDs throughout the Sediment-RBCA process...
SCOPE
1.1 Sediment-RBCA is based on protecting human health and the environment. The guide supplements the RBCA (Guide E2081) and Eco-RBCA (Guide E2205/E2205M) processes and provides a decision-making process for the management of contaminated sediment. Contaminated sediment sites vary greatly in terms of setting, usage, spatial and temporal complexity, and physical and chemical characteristics; and, therefore, they also vary greatly in terms of the risk that they may pose to human health and the environment. The Sediment-RBCA recognizes this diversity by using a tiered approach for gathering and evaluating data to determine the need for additional evaluation or risk management tailored to site-specific conditions and risks.
1.2 This guide is intended to help direct and streamline the corrective action process and to complement (but not supersede) jurisdiction-specific guidance and regulations. It can be employed where jurisdiction-specific guidance is absent or insufficiently detailed; it can also assist to unify guidance when overlapping jurisdictions apply. It is compatible with a variety of programmatic guidelines for risk assessment and guidance from US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Environment Canada, European, US states, that share the underlying risk assessment approach. In all applications, regulatory agencies should be consulted, as appropriate. Sediment-RBCA is not intended to apply to current permitted releases or permit applications.
1.3 There are numerous TPDs related to the Sediment-RBCA process. Common examples are defining DQOs, identifying relevant receptors, defining toxicity values for risk evaluation, determining target risk levels, specifying the appropriate statistics and sample sizes, determining exposure assumptions, determining when and how to account for cumulative risks and additive effects among chemical(s) of concern, addressing resource protection, along with remedial action cons...
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E3240 − 20
Standard Guide for
Risk-Based Corrective Action for Contaminated Sediment
1
Sites
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3240; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
This guide provides a framework for the development of a Risk-Based CorrectiveAction (RBCA)
process for contaminated sediment sites (Sediment-RBCA) that integrates ecological and human
health risk-based decision making into the corrective action process. Sediment-RBCAguide parallels
the RBCA frameworks in Guides E2081 and E2205/E2205M with respect to the tiered approach for
data gathering, evaluation and decision-making, and should, when possible, be conducted concurrent
with broader RBCAactivities. Sediment-RBCAprovides a flexible, technically defensible framework
for corrective action that can be applied to a wide range of sites and chemicals of concern. The
framework incorporates a tiered technical approach, using increasingly complex levels of data
collection and analysis as the user proceeds through the process.
This guide is intended to be used in conjunction with E3163 – Standard Guide for Selection and
Application of Analytical Methods and Procedures Used during Sediment Corrective Action and
E3164 – Standard Guide for Sediment CorrectiveAction – Monitoring. Successful implementation of
theSediment-RBCAprocessrequiresthattheuseridentifiesthetechnicalpolicydecisions(TPDs)that
arecriticaltotheriskmanagementprocessandidentifytheseTPDspriortobeginningtheprocess(see
5.5.3). There are numerous TPDs that must be made to implement the RBCA process, for example,
defining data quality objectives (DQOs), identify relevant receptors, defining background and site
exposure and toxicity data/inputs for risk evaluation, determining target risk levels, addressing
resource protection, and implementing risk management. It is not the intent of this guide to define
appropriate TPDs.
The Sediment-RBCA encourages broad stakeholder involvement in both the development of the
TPDs and progression through the tiered analysis. This guide recognizes the diversity of sites and
provides supporting appendices for additional information, with the intent of sharing industry best
practices.
1. Scope gathering and evaluating data to determine the need for
additional evaluation or risk management tailored to site-
1.1 Sediment-RBCA is based on protecting human health
specific conditions and risks.
andtheenvironment.TheguidesupplementstheRBCA(Guide
E2081) and Eco-RBCA(Guide E2205/E2205M) processes and
1.2 This guide is intended to help direct and streamline the
provides a decision-making process for the management of
corrective action process and to complement (but not super-
contaminated sediment. Contaminated sediment sites vary
sede) jurisdiction-specific guidance and regulations. It can be
greatly in terms of setting, usage, spatial and temporal
employed where jurisdiction-specific guidance is absent or
complexity, and physical and chemical characteristics; and,
insufficientlydetailed;itcanalsoassisttounifyguidancewhen
therefore, they also vary greatly in terms of the risk that they
overlapping jurisdictions apply. It is compatible with a variety
mayposetohumanhealthandtheenvironment.TheSediment-
of programmatic guidelines for risk assessment and guidance
RBCArecognizes this diversity by using a tiered approach for
from US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Envi-
ronment Canada, European, US states, that share the underly-
1
ThisguideisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeE50onEnvironmental
ing risk assessment approach. In all applications, regulatory
Assessment, Risk Management and CorrectiveAction and is the direct responsibil-
agencies should be consulted, as appropriate. Sediment-RBCA
ity of Subcommittee E50.04 on Corrective Action.
is not intended to apply to current permitted releases or permit
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2020. Published May 2020. DOI: 10.1520/
E3240–20 applications.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E3240 − 20
1.3 There are numerous TPDs related to the Sediment- 1.9.4 Section 5 describes the tiered approach to the
RBCA process. Common examples are defining DQOs, iden- Sediment-RBCA process;
tifying relevant receptors, defining toxicity values for risk 1.9.5 Sections 6 and 7 present Sedi
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