Risk Assessment Case Study Evaluation
Nicole Anderson, Robert Hoehn, Sandra Purvis,
Victoria Riggins and Rachel Van Schaik
ENV/420
October 15, 2012
Miquel Restrepo
Risk Assessment Case Study Evaluation The risk assessment case study evaluates the chromium-contaminated soils. Twelve years of research went into the study to characterize the health hazards caused by the chromium-contaminated soils. Within New Jersey there were at least three different chromate chemical manufacturing companies operating, one in Kearny, New Jersey, and the other two in Jersey City. The study was conducted through a human health risk assessment, which contains four main steps; first identifying the hazard, second the dose response assessment, followed by the exposure assessment, and finalizing with the risk characterization. There are many short and long term health effects found within the risk assessment, which is one reason that assessment is so important. Looking at the risk assessment that was done within the area, the final implication was the simple fact that a remedial cleaning needed to be done within the area. It seems that there may have been a high cost for the study and the actual cleanup, but the benefit of saving an environment and human health is priceless. Risk assessment studies are very important to human and ecological health, therefore no matter the cost associated the benefit will always be much higher. Looking at the risk assessment of chromium-contaminated soils is important; it shows health effects related to chromium and what needs to be done to clean the area for further use by humans and nature. The case study includes a group of hazardous waste sites in Northern New Jersey. At these waste sites a “series of unique research efforts were implemented over the past 12 years to improve the accuracy of the Risk Assessment process”