Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:11:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 11 (pt 2/5)
Character Range: 1231763–1234870

chemicals that exceed the site-specific EILs.
Contamination means the condition of land or water where any chemical substance or waste has been added at above background level or bioavailability of a chemical substance has increased and represents, or potentially represents, an adverse health or environmental impact. This does not apply where materials are added in accordance with relevant government approvals or endorsements such as to improve its suitability for agriculture.
Definitive ecological risk assessment (Definitive ERA) is the second level of ecological risk assessment that can be conducted within the ERA framework of this Measure.  This type of ERA is more detailed and provides a site-specific assessment of the risk posed by the contaminants.
Ecological investigation level (EIL) is the concentration of a contaminant above which further appropriate investigation and evaluation of the impact on ecological values will be required. The EILs are calculated using EC30 or lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) toxicity data. EILs are the sum of the added contaminant limit (ACL) and the ambient background concentration (ABC) and the limit is expressed in terms of total concentration. EILs depend on specific soil physicochemical properties and land use scenarios and generally apply to the top 2 m of soil.
Ecological risk assessment (ERA) is a set of formal, scientific methods for defining and estimating the probabilities and magnitudes of adverse impacts on plants, animals and/or the ecology of a specified area posed by a particular stressor(s) and the frequency of exposure to the stressor(s). Stressors include chemicals, changes in physicochemical properties such as temperature, other human actions and natural catastrophes.
Ecological risk management in the context of this Measure is a decision-making process that involves consideration of political, social, economic, scientific and engineering information together with risk-related information in order to determine the appropriate response to environmental contamination.
Ecological significance is the consideration of ecological significance and should include the impact of the contaminated site on the species, population or community and on-flowing impacts on the structure and function of the ecosystem.
Ecological values means plants, animals, fungi or ecological processes associated with a defined area that are considered to be of significant societal, ecological or economic significance.
Economic significance is the economic importance (for example, the contribution of local biota to tourism) and cost of maintaining biota.
ECx means effective concentration—the concentration which affects X% of a test population after a specified exposure time.
Exposure assessment is the estimation (qualitative or quantitative) of the magnitude, frequency, duration, route and extent (for example, number of organisms) of exposure of organisms present at a site to one or more contaminated media.
Exposure is the contact of a contaminant with any portion of an organism,  system or sub-population. The organism