Table 4.
Synopsis of Risk Characterization and Interpretation elements for Phase 3 of a CRA for Community, State, and Federal applications.
| Risk Characterization and Interpretation Elements | Community | State | Federal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk Description | |||
| Central Tendency and High-End Individual Risk Population Risk Risk to Important Subpopulations |
Multiroute chemical risk assessments; poverty and race/ethnicity considerations; children and elderly; mortality/morbidity clusters | Sensitive/vulnerable population groups; socioeconomic factors; multiple emissions and discharges; current and future conditions | Standards to protect most sensitive populations (e.g., SDWA); aggregate exposure regulations (e.g. FQPA); reasonably anticipated adverse effects (e.g., CWA Sn. 405); primary standards to protect children, elderly, asthmatics |
| Uncertainty Analysis | |||
| Being Explicit about Uncertainty Uncertainty and Variability Uncertainty and Risk Addition Sensitivity Analysis |
GIS-based analyses; local health and emissions records; deviations from baseline or more ideal conditions; proxies for exposure; measurements and sensors increase certainty | Indicators or surrogates of exposure, such as hazard proximity and air pollution exposure estimates; resolution suitable for targeting and implementation of policy | Economic, social, and environmental conditions are interrelated, producing direct, indirect and cumulative effects |
| Information Provided by CRA | Stressor, asset, and resource identification; absolute or relative ranking; remediation options | Identification of at-risk individuals or populations; weighting of risk based socio-economic, health, and environmental conditions | Systematic, interdisciplinary approaches; integration of natural, social, and environmental sciences and designs |
| Using the Results of CRA | Solution-oriented, data-supported, value-driven decision-making | Implementation of exposure and risk reduction actions; source attribution; protective standards for land use or other policies | Dose addition with relative potency and toxic equivalency factors or to develop a hazard index; stakeholder feedback and participation to inform research and development that supports local efforts |