Commentary: An open appeal to the EPA for Superfund ERA reform.
Environ Pollut
; 257: 113308, 2020 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31676095
ABSTRACT
The ecological risk assessment guidance of virtually all federal and state agencies, private companies, and other interests can be traced to that of the essential design of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA ecological risk assessment paradigm has remained unchanged for all intents and purposes since its inception 30 years ago, this despite criticism expressed repeatedly by some, for many years. Despite the discipline's name, a core paradigm shortcoming is its inability to express risk, the probability of a receptor-of-concern at a contaminated site developing a toxicological endpoint (e.g., reproductive impairment). Further, common site context and biological realities (e.g., site sizes; home ranges of receptors-of concern) allow for the supported challenges that risk assessments aren't needed altogether, and instances of ecological damage at sites being unknown. This commentary is an open appeal to the EPA to replace the paradigm it has set forth, dispensing with failed processes (e.g., endeavoring to assess risk potential at 75 year-old sites; endeavoring to assess risk potential to wide-ranging species at one-acre properties). The commentary invites the EPA to respond, not with counter-arguments, but rather with explanations for the Agency's resistance to acknowledging problems with its guidance, followed by the Agency commitment to sorely needed ERA reform.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
United States Environmental Protection Agency
/
Medição de Risco
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Environ Pollut
Assunto da revista:
SAUDE AMBIENTAL
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article