Further Considerations in Soil Quality Standard Setting

3 FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS IN SOIL QUALITY STANDARD SETTING 

Land use planners accept that changes in ecological function will occur as a result of decisions about land use. SQSs must be developed in a manner that not only informs the decision maker about the potential for, and nature of, effects but also directs the decision maker, when necessary, to ensure that a minimum ecological function is not completely lost from the system. 

We need to articulate clearly what our standards mean and how they can be used. In addition, an SQS needs to inform the decision maker on the probability that a given decision may result in an undesirable outcome. In this way, the SQS becomes more useful in making land use planning decisions. The requirements of an ideal standard, as defined in Section 3.3.1.2, can go a long way toward creating more useful SQSs that both inform and direct the decision maker when applying science. The requirements for better information for decision makers would include the 

However, the concept of design risk must be amended when considering risks in the terrestrial environment. In particular, we need to recognize that there is typically a spatially dependent rather than a time-dependant risk. 

Furthermore, for the terrestrial environment, criteria should be developed based on pathway-receptor relationships, including secondary pathway-receptors that may be influenced by the soil environment (e.g., groundwater, aquatic environments, secondary and tertiary consumers, or indoor air quality). 

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