Contaminated Lands - Soils Protection and Contaminated Sites Rehabilitation

Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Rehabilitation Policy

Please note that the 1998 Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Rehabilitation Policy is being revised.

If required, you may contact the Ministère’s Service des lieux contaminés et des matières dangereuses (Contaminated sites and hazardous materials department) at 418-521-3950.

APPENDIX 2 / Generic criteria for soils and groundwater

CRITERIA GRID APPLICABLE TO CASES OF GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION¹
	ANALYTICAL LIMITS (MQL) (ug/L)	GROUND WATER CRITERIA (ug/L)
		DRINKING WATER^2,3			SEEPAGE INTO SURFACE WATER OR INFILTRATION INTO SEWERS⁴
I. METALS (and Metalloids)
Aluminum	35	-		750
Antimony	35	6		-
Antimony III	-	-		88
Silver	0.3	100		0.62⁶
Arsenic^c	3	25⁵		340
Barium	35	1000		5300⁶
Cadmium	1	5		2.1⁶
Cobalt	35	-		500
Chromium (total)	35	50		-
Chromium VI	165	-		16
Copper	3	1000³		7.3⁶
Manganese	3	50³		-
Mercury (total)	0.3	1		0.13
Molybdenum	35	70		2000
Nickel	13	20⁵		260⁶
Lead	1	10		34⁶
Selenium	3	10		20
Sodium	35	200,000³		-
Zinc	3	5000³		67⁶
II. OTHER INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺)	70	-		-⁷
Chlorides (Cl^-)	330	250,000³		860,000
Available cyanides (CN^-)	10	-		22
Total cyanides (CN^-)	10	200		-
Total fluorides	200	1500		4000
Nitrate (N-NO₃^-)	35	-		200,000
Nitrite (N-NO₂^-)	3	1000		60⁸
Nitrate + nitrite	70	10,000		-
Total phosphorus (P-PO₄^-3)	200	-		3000⁹
Sulphides (H₂S)	70	50³		200
III. VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Monocyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Benzene ^C	0.2	5		590
Chlorobenzene ^C	0.2	30³		130
1,2-dichlorobenzene	0.2	3³		70
1,3-dichlorobenzene	0.1	-		15,000
1,4-dichlorobenzene ^C	0.2	1³		110
Ethylbenzene	0.1	2.4³		420
Styrene ^C	0.1	20		190
Toluene	0.1	24³		580
Xylenes (o. m. p)	0.4	300³		820
Aliphatic hydrochlorocarbons
Chloroform ^C	0.2	200		1800
Vinyl chloride ^C (chloroethene)	0.2	2		53 000
1,2-dichloroethane ^C	0.1	5⁵		9900
1,1-dichloroethene ^C	1.3	14		320
1,2-dichloroethene (cis and trans)	0.3	50		-
1,2-dichloroethene (trans)	0.2	-		30,000
Dichloromethane ^C	0.9	50		13,000
1,2-dichloropropane ^C	0.1	5		2600
1,3-dichloropropane	0.1	-		5900
1,3-dichloropropene (cis + trans)^c	0.1	2		300
Hexachloroéthane	0,1	-		89
Pentachloroéthane	-	-		330
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane	0,1	-		470
Tetrachloroethene	0.2	30		540
Carbon tetrachloride ^C	0.2	5		440
1,1,1-trichloroethane	0.1	200		2000
1,1,2-trichloroethane	0,1	5		2400
Trichloroethene ^C	0.1	50		590
IV. PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS
Non-chlorinated
Ortho-Cresol	0,5	-		3800¹⁰
Para-Cresol	0,4	-		620¹⁰
2,4-dimethylphenol	0.6	-		110¹⁰
2,4-dinitrophenol	10	-		39¹⁰
2-methyl 4,6-dinitrophenol	10	-		6.6¹⁰
4-nitrophenol	2.4	-		570¹⁰
Phenols	0.6	-		490¹⁰
Chlorinated
2-chlorophenol	0.5	-		100^{10, 11}
3-chlorophenol	0.5	-		100^{10, 11}
4-chlorophenol	0.4	-		100^{10, 11}
2,6-dichlorophenol	0.4	-		100^{10, 11}
2,5-dichlorophenol	0.6	-		100^{10, 11}
2,4-dichlorophenol	0.6	0.3³		100^{10, 11}
2,3-dichlorophenol	0.5	-		100^{10, 11}
3,5-dichlorophenol	0.4	-		100^{10, 11}
3,4-dichlorophenol	0.4	-		100^{10, 11}
Pentachlorophenol	0.4	30³		8.7^{10, 12}
2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol	0.4	-		8.5¹⁰
2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol	0.4	1³		7¹⁰
2,4,5-trichlorophenol	0.4	-		46¹⁰
2,4,6-trichlorophenol ^C	0.4	2³		36¹⁰
Chlorophenols	-	-		100^{10, 11}
V. POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
Acenaphthene	0.05	-		67
Anthracene	0.03	-		11,000,000
Benz(a)anthracene	0.02	-		4.9
Benzo(b+j)fluoranthene	0.04	-		4.9¹⁶
Benzo(k)fluoranthene	0.03			4.9
Benzo(a)pyrene ^C	0.008	0.01		4.9
Chrysene	0.03	-		4.9
Dibenzo (a,h) anthracene	0.02	-		4.9
Fluoranthene	0.01	-		2.3
Fluorene	0.01	-		1,400,000
Indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene	0.01	-		4.9
Naphthalene	0.03	-		340
Phenanthrene	0.01	-		30
Pyrene	0.01	-		1,100,000
VI. NON-CHLORINATED BENZENE COMPOUNDS
2,4-dinitrotoluene	0.2		-	910
2,6-dinitrotoluene	0.2		-	930
Nitrobenzène	0.2		-	100
Trinitro-2,4,6 (TNT)	-		-	120
VII. CHLOROBENZENES
Hexachlorobenzene ^C	0.01	0.1		0.077
Pentachlorobenzene	0.01	-		25
1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene	0.01	-		180
1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene	0.01	-		290
1,2,3-trichlorobenzene	0.01	-		800
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene	0.01	-		2400
Trichlorobenzenes (total)	-	20		-
VIII. POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
Total congeners^{13 C}	0.1	0.5		0.012
IX. PESTICIDES
Pesticides most used at present
Atrazine and metabolites ^C	-	5⁵		-
Atrazine	0.1	-		78
Azinphos-methyl	0.3	20		0.5
Bentazone	0.1	300		11000
Bromoxynil	0.03	5⁵		500
Captan	0.2	-		130
Carbaryl	0.1	90		20
Carbofuran	0.1	90		180
Chlorothalonil	0.2	-		18
Chlorpyrifos	0.1	90		0.083
Cyanazine	0.2	10⁵		47
Deltamethrin	0.3	-		0.04
Diazinon	0.07	20		0.2
Dicamba	0.04	120		1000
Dichlorprop	0.09	100		-
Dimethoate	0.1	20⁵		620
Diquat	2	70		50
Diuron	0.7	150		160
Endosulfan (I and II)	0.03	-		0.11
Glyphosate	15	280		6500
Lindane ^C	0.01	0.2		0.95
Malathion	0.08	190		10
MCPA	0.05	2		260
Metolachlor	0.07	50⁵		780
Metribuzin	0.1	80		100
Myclobutanil	0.1	-		240
Paraquat (dichloride)	-	10		-
Paraquat	2	-		1600
Parathion	0.2	50		0.065
Permethrin	0.4	20		0.044
Phorate	0.1	2		-
Picloram	0.1	190⁵		2900
Simazine	0.06	10⁵		1000
Tebuthiuron	0.6	-		160
Terbufos	0.2	1⁵		-
Trifluralin	0.2	45⁵		10
2,4-D	0.04	100⁵		4700
2,4-DB	0.2	90		560
Pesticides no longer used but persisting in the environment
Aldicarb A. sulphone and A. sulfoxide	0.7 0.7	9		100 -
Aldrin	0.04	-		0.014
Aldrin + Dieldrin	0.04	0.7		-
Chlordane ^C	0.01 (alpha) 0.2 (gamma)	0.2		0.22
Dieldrin	0.03	-		0.014
p,p^'-DDT	0.05	-		0.0011
p,p^'-DDE	0.03	-		0.0011
Endrine	0.05	-		0.086
Heptachlor epoxide	0.02	-		0.011
Fenoprop (Silvex)	0.03	10		2100
Heptachlor	0.03	0.03		0.021
Heptachlor and epoxide	0.03	0.03		-
Methoxychlor	0.3	900		3
Mirex	0.09	-		0.1
2,4,5-T ^C	0.02	9		-
X. OTHER ORGANIC SUBSTANCES
Acrylonitrile	-	-		66
Bis(2-chloroethyl)ether	0.3	-		140
Dibutyl phthalate	3	-		1900
Ethylene glycol	-	-		19,000,000
Formaldehyde	0.3	900		220
XI- INTEGRATING PARAMETERS
Phenol Index	8	2³		500¹⁰
Chronic toxicity	-	-		100 UTC¹⁴
Acute toxicity	-	-		1 UTA¹⁴
Petroleum-derived hydrocarbons C₁₀to C₅₀¹⁵	300	-		3500 ¹⁵
XII- CHLORINATED DIOXINS AND FURANS
Total chlorodibenzodioxins and chlorodibenzofurans expressed in 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxic equivalents (NATO scale. 1988) ^C	-¹⁷	1.5 x 10^-5		3.1 X 10^-7

Column 1: The analytical method quantification limits (AMQL) were established by the Centre d’expertise en analyse environmentale du Québec [Québec Environmental Analysis Centre]. If the analytical method quantification limit (AMQL) is greater than the criterion value (example: chromium VI), this quantification limit is tolerated as threshold to be complied with, while the criterion remains the objective to be attained.

Column 2: The drinking water criteria mostly represent drinking water standards or recommendations drawn up by Health Canada (1996), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the World Health Organization (WHO). However, those drawn up by Health Canada were given precedence. In the absence of Canadian recommendations, the stricter of EPA or WHO criteria were chosen. With respect to the WHO, the recommendations were adjusted for an additional cancer risk of 1 x 10-6.

The proposed list of criteria for use of groundwater as drinking water must be considered temporary, since the Ministère plans to begin validation work in co-operation with the MSSS.

Public health stakeholders must be involved in the interpretation of analytical results of groundwater to be used as drinking water.

Column 3: The quality criteria for cases of seepage of groundwater into surface water or infiltration of groundwater into sewers are drawn from the document "Québec's Surface Water Quality Criteria" (MENV, 2001) prepared by MENV’s Direction des écosystèmes aquatiques [Aquatic Ecosystems Branch], as well as the 1998 update. The value adopted for each parameter corresponds to the lowest of the following four values: 1 x CVAA, 100 x CVAC, 100 x CPCO, 100 x CFP.
CVAA: Acute aquatic life toxicity criterion
CVAC: Chronic aquatic life toxicity criterion
CPCO : Contamination of aquatic organisms prevention criterion
CFP: Piscivorous terrestrial fauna criterion

The expression "sewers" includes storm, sanitation and combined sewers.

In the case of infiltration of groundwater into a municipal sewer, it is necessary to verify with the municipality that owns the sewer if it has standards for the contaminants concerned. These standards could be applied with the agreement of the municipality when groundwater seeps into the sewer. If the municipality does not have regulations governing discharge into its sewers for a contaminant of interest, the criteria "surface water and sewers" will be used for this contaminant.

1: Water quality criteria are not published or established for all parameters or for all uses. The published list is thus neither restrictive nor exhaustive. The user must report the presence of all parameters detected even if the list does not at present provide criteria for these parameters.

If groundwater is used for irrigation or for watering cattle, the criteria presented in the "Canadian Environment Quality Guidelines (CWQG)" (CCME. 1999) shall be used.

2: Criteria for drinking water are expressed in maximum acceptable concentrations (MAC). The groundwater samples taken for metals or metalloids (group I) must be filtered (ideally on the sampling site). Samples taken for other parameters (group II to XII) must not be filtered during sampling. In all cases, samples must be analysed before the expiration of the delays accorded for their conservation.

3: Aesthetic objectives are available for certain parameters. The aesthetic objectives drawn up by Health Canada were adopted for this purpose.

4: The groundwater samples taken for metals or metalloids (group I) must be filtered (ideally on the sampling site). Samples taken for other parameters (group II to XII) must not be filtered during sampling. In all cases, samples must be analysed before the expiration of the delays accorded for their conservation.

5: Temporary criterion according to the organization originating the value.

6: Criteria increase with hardness. The value in the table corresponds to a hardness of 50 mg/L (CaCO₃). See "Québec's Surface Water Quality Criteria," MENV, 2001.

7: Criteria change with temperature and pH. See "Québec's Surface Water Quality Criteria," MENV, 2001.

8: Criteria change with chloride contents. See "Québec's Surface Water Quality Criteria," MENV, 2001. The value cited in the table corresponds to a chloride concentration of 2000 ug/L.

9: Fundamentally, total phosphorus criteria aims at limiting the excessive growth of algae and water plants in watercourses. A more severe criterion would apply to seepage of groundwater into a watercourse flowing into a lake or to seepage of groundwater into a lake. These situations will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

10: The phenol index as measured by the 4AAP (4-amino antipyrine) method must respect the value of 500 ug/L.

11: Total chlorophenols must respect the value of 100 ug/L.

12: Criteria vary with pH. The criterion entered in the table is valid for a pH of 7. See "Québec's Surface Water Quality Criteria," MENV, 2001.

13: The congeners targeted are those identified by the committee on the PCB problem of the MEF’s Laboratories Directorate (today the Centre d’expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec [Québec Environmental Analysis Centre]). For details, consult the "Guide de caractérisation des échantillons contaminés par des biphényles polychlorés" Direction des laboratoires, MEF, 1996.12.03.

14: Acute or chronic toxicity criteria are valid only in the case of seepage of groundwater into surface water.

15: In the case of groundwater infiltration into sanitary sewers only, the petroleum hydrocarbons criterion C₁₀ to C₅₀ is 3500 ug/L. This criterion originates in that advocated since 1988 in the "Politique de réhabilitation des terrains contaminés" [Contaminated Sites Rehabilitation Policy] for mineral oils and greases in water (former C criterion), decreased by a factor of 30% to take changes in the analytical standard into account.

16: The criterion applies to total benzo (b) fluoranthene and benzo (j) fluoranthene. If it is possible to separate them, the criterion applies then to each one.

17: For dioxins and furans, it is not possible to set up a quantification limit in toxic equivalents. A quantification limit specific to each dioxin and furan congeners must be used. Those values are:

Congeners	Liquid Samples Quantification Limit (pg/L)
2,3,7,8-T₄CDD	1,0
1,2,3,7,8-P₅CDD	1,0
1,2,3,4,7,8-H₆CDD	2,0
1,2,3,7,8,9-H₆CDD	2,0
1,2,3,6,7,8-H₆CDD	2,0
1,2,3,4,6,7,8-H₇CDD	4,0
OCDD	4,0
2,3,7,8-T₄CDF	1,0
2,3,4,7,8-P₅CDF	1,0
1,2,3,7,8-P₅CDF	1,0
1,2,3,4,7,8-H₆CDF	2,0
1,2,3,7,8,9-H₆CDF	2,0
1,2,3,6,7,8-H₆CDF	2,0
2,3,4,6,7,8-H₆CDF	2,0
1,2,3,4,6,7,8-H₇CDF	4,0
1,2,3,4,7,8,9-H₇CDF	4,0
OCDF	4,0

-: No criterion available at the present. The absence of a criteria for a specific parameter does not mean that this parameter is without effect or hazard for the human health or the environment.

^{C To facilitate the warning points calculation, carcinogenic substances
are identified on the grid. The carcinogenic substances definition refer to the
substances classified carcinogenic and potentially carcinogenic as defined by
Health Canada, WHO or EPA.
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Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Rehabilitation Policy

APPENDIX 2 / Generic criteria for soils and groundwater