Assessment of soil and grounwater contamination at a former Soviet Military Base. Viestura Prospekts Oil Depot, Riga, Latvia

Abstract

Frie emneord: Olje A former Soviet military fuel depot has been subject to site investigation to examine soil and groundwater contamination. Risk assessment techniques have been applied to make a so-called \"Tier 2\" assessment of risk to human health and risk to water resourced from the site. The assessment has consluded that contamination from the site will not reach the nearest surface water body within 35 years, even without taking into account sorption and biodegradation. The risk assessment also concludes that the site can remain in its current usage or be redeveloped for commercial purposes without any risk to human health. The assessment predicts no unacceptable risk to groundwater resources or to the River Daugava from the site. If the site is redeveloped for residential use or for open public access (parkland), an unacceptable human health risk may be present. If such redevel- opment is proposed, either (a) a \"Tier3\" risk assessment should be carried out to make a more refined, less conservative assessment of risk or (b) cleanup of selected areas should be carried out to cited risk-based clean-up levels.