![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Food Chain Individual
This factor will frequently drive the score for the human food chain threat.
- Example: An observed release of an unknown quantity
of PCBs is documented by samples in a freshwater wetland. Turtles are
trapped in that area of the wetland for turtle soup. Score the human food
chain threat. Look up the values for PCBs in SCDM.
- HRS Guidance Manual, Highlight 8-50, page 301 provides generic
values assigned to targets.
- In this example, the score is 96.00. The likelihood of release is 550,
based on an observed release to the wetland.
- Waste Characteristics is 320. The values for PCB are 10,000 for
toxicity, 1 for persistence (lake), and 50,000 for BPFV (fresh). The minimum
value for quantity is 100, because a fishery and a wetland are subject to actual contamination.
- Targets is 45, the value for food chain individual at Level II. PCBs, with a BPFV of 50,000 can establish actual contamination but only a tissue sample can establish Level I.
- HRS Guidance Manual, Highlight 8-50, page 301 provides generic
values assigned to targets.
Documenting a Level I or II fishery may be particularly tricky when the zone of actual contamination is small. How do you document that anyone ever fishes within this specific zone? If you cannot document fishing within the area, can it be called a fishery?
Review HRS rule, page 51620, all of Section 4.1.3.3.1. This provision is critical when you have a sediment sample or an outfall with a high BPFV substance (500 or greater) and cannot document that the zone of actual contamination is fished.
What value would you assign for food chain individual if you have an area of actual contamination on a small to moderate stream and cannot document that anyone ever fishes there? The area might, for instance, be very small, on private property, fenced, or relatively inaccessible compared to other nearby fishing locations. You can, however, document that the river a mile downstream is a fishery and that people fish within the mouth of the stream. ANSWER
[Slide 5 of 7] [Home] 
Superfund Help: Acronyms | Topics | Frequent Questions | Publications | Sitemap