Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:2:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2 (pt 1/7)
Character Range: 2913319–2916453

2                   Presentation of the health-based investigation levels
This chapter presents the HILs for soil contaminants. The HILs have been designed to be protective of the health of most people who could potentially be exposed to soil contaminants under four broad land use categories, not including sensitive sub-populations:
    * HIL A – residential with garden/accessible soil
    * HIL B – residential with minimal opportunities for soil access
    * HIL C – public open space/recreational areas
    * HIL D – commercial/industrial premises.
Further details of each of these generic land use scenarios are provided in Section 3 of this Schedule. Note that HIL A is applicable to homes with a garden large enough to provide an area where children could play and/or where vegetables could be grown. A small paved back yard with small flower beds but without a lawn would be included in HIL B.

The terms 'low', 'medium' and 'high' density are commonly used in land use zonings in Australia. Low density would normally be equivalent to HIL A and high density to HIL B. The definition of medium density however is not consistent and the relevance of HIL A or HIL B to this land use should be considered on a site-specific basis.

2.1              Stockholm Convention
The Stockholm Convention on POPs is a global convention to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that persist in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically and accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans, domesticated food animals and wildlife. Exposure to POPs can lead to serious health effects including certain cancers, birth defects, dysfunctional immune and reproductive systems, greater susceptibility to disease, and even diminished intelligence.

The Stockholm Convention requires its parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment. This convention was adopted in 2001 and came into force in 2004. Australia ratified the convention in 2004.

The POPs included in the Stockholm Convention are covered by three separate annexes:
    * Annex A (requiring elimination of intentional production and use)  includes aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
    * Annex B (requiring restriction)  includes DDT
    * Annex C (requiring reduction/elimination of unintentional production)  includes polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF), hexachlorobenzene and PCBs.
Under the terms of the Stockholm Convention, a regular review process allows for additional chemicals to be nominated, and after appropriate review, included in the Convention.

Chemicals added to the Convention in 2009 included:
    * Annex A  alpha hexachlorocyclohexane, beta hexachlorocyclohexane, chlordecone, hexabromobiphenyl, hexabromodiphenyl ether, heptabromodiphenyl ether, lindane, pentachlorobenzene, tetrabromodiphenyl ether, pentabromodiphenyl ether
    * Annex B  perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perflurooctane sulfonyl fluoride.
Further consideration of the data