Derivation of petroleum hydrocarbon wildlands criteria for British Columbia

Environmental criteria for petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants do not currently exist for areas of British Columbia that are designated as wildlands. This study presents a process by which to derive criteria for a wildlands setting. A methodology is presented to derive criteria for petroleum hydrocarbon compounds with the derivation process being illustrated by deriving wildlands criteria for Northern British Columbia using the proposed methodology. The goal of study is to create a process that is focussed on being scientifically defensible, flexible and transparent process based on human and ecological toxicological effects endpoints that serve to protect human and ecological populations. The study presents toxicity reference values that can be used for the purposes of criteria development or risk assessment purposes to assess wildlands receptors as well as resulting soil, sediment, surface water and tissue residue (fish and wild game) criteria that can be used as a management tool.