LQM/CIEH Dose Response Roadmaps

Under Part 2A, Local Authorities and their advisors must decide whether sites pose a "significant possibility of significant harm" (SPOSH) before it can be determined as statutory "Contaminated Land".

Despite revised Statutory Guidance in England and Wales, there is no simple definition of what is, or is not, SPOSH. Consequently, the contaminated land community has historically addressed this question using single, subjective and precautionary estimates of what a “minimal risk” dose may be.

However, this approach has little relevance to the wording in Part 2A and ignores the vast quantity of toxicological and epidemiological information that is available for most contaminants.

The LQM/CIEH Dose Response Roadmaps provide a scientific basis for determining if site specific exposure estimates are likely to result in significant harm and therefore simplify decision making under Part 2A across Britain.

The Dose Response Roadmaps (DRR) employ a pioneering approach involving the meta-analysis of toxicological and epidemiological studies in humans and animals to produce a visual indication of the dose-response relationship over a wide range of doses (mg/kg body weight/day).

The DRR display the severity of the health impacts reported at given doses using a USEPA scale ranging from 0 (no effect) to 10 (death) and/or other suitable metric, such as %age cancer incidence. Symbology allows discrimination between acute, intermediate and chronic studies and between studies in animals and humans.

Each Roadmap is based on outputs from a LQM and CIEH workshop held in July 2010 to analyse the toxicological reviews underpinning the Environment Agency's 2009 SGVs and/or the 2nd Edition LQM/CIEH GACs. The workshop outputs were subsequently built upon and peer reviewed leading to the development of Dose-Response Roadmaps for 18 of the most commonly encountered and difficult contaminants including arsenic, naphthalene and benzo(a)pyrene.

DRR can only be used by Registered Users

How are the LQM/CIEH Dose Response Roadmaps used?

For each substance, the Roadmap comprises comprehensive dose-response charts (for oral, dermal and inhalation pathways, as appropriate) indicate observed health effects in humans and animals reportedly associated with various doses (mg/kg body weight/day).

Site-specific estimates of exposure (mg/kg body weight/day), based on soil concentrations, can be plotted on the Roadmaps. Seeing the predicted exposure for the site on the Roadmaps provides a rapid and cost-effective basis for interpreting the potential harm associated with exposure to soils at that site. This can be used by informed users to help evaluate whether SPOSH exists.

In the absence of a quantitative definition of SPOSH, this tool helps local authorities and their advisors to determine whether SPOSH is likely to exist.

Registered User requirements

The Registered User Requirements (as set out in the licence (see licence tab)) are as follows:

• Each Registered User must have attended the LQM/CIEH Dose-Response Roadmaps Registration Course and, where appropriate, LQM/CIEH Dose-Response Roadmaps Annual Updates.

• Each Registered User must have academic qualifications to at least degree level relevant to contaminated land management. This includes, but is not limited to, Environmmental Health, Geology, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Toxicology. It is the responsibility of the Licensee to ensure those put forward to be Registered Users have appropriate qualifications.

• Each Registered User must have a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience, and be currently working in the field of contaminated land management under direct employment of the Licensee. It is the responsibility of the Licensee to ensure those put forward to be Registered Users have appropriate skills, experience and technical understanding.

• The Registered User must agree to be listed on LQM’s list of Registered Users available at www.lqm.co.uk/roadmaps/registeredusers.

If you wish to become a Registered User you will need to:

• purchase and sign a licence
• attend the DRR Registration course (e-learning videos and practical  (using CLEA v1.071)
• attend an interactive live webinar to understand the uses, applicability and interpretation of the Dose Response Roadmaps

You will need a PC, laptop or equivalent capable of running GoToWebinar and MS Excel with the CLEA 1.071 spreadsheet already loaded and ready to use. 

Full instructions will be sent to each delegate and a date and time for the live interactive webinar with LQM will be agreed once you have purchased a licence

 Organisations wishing to use the Roadmaps repeatedly can obtain rights to utilise them by purchasing an annual licence, the current cost is £995 (excluding VAT). 

In order to use the Roadmaps under licence, an organisation must have both:

• a current licence; and
• employ a Registered User to interpret the data.

Registered Users must attend the DRR Registration Course. The licence agreement (see below) describes minimum qualifications and experience for Registered Users candidates.

Please contact us to discuss licencing further or to purchase a licence.

Different versions of the licence are available as follows:

• • Sole traders/Individuals 
  • Local Authorities 
  • Companies