Issues in Australian contaminated land risk assessment toxicology

Since implementation of the National Environmental Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (NEPM) guidelines in 1999, a number of improvements are needed to enhance the contaminated land risk assessment process. In particular, due to advances in toxicological research there is a need to update the Australian adopted health investigation levels (HILs), presented in the NEPM guidelines, and to significantly expand the number of HILs to generate a comprehensive list of soil screening criteria. Furthermore, there is a need to develop Australian benchmark doses for carcinogens and to incorporate benchmark doses more widely in Australian risk assessment practice. The NEPM is currently under revision and consequently there is an excellent opportunity to undertake such development; however, this will require appreciation of the need for improvement and significant financial investment.