B.C. Reg. 375/96
O.C. 1480/96 and M271/2004
Deposited December 16, 1996
effective April 1, 1997

Environmental Management Act

Contaminated Sites Regulation

Note: Check the Cumulative Regulation Bulletin 2014
for any non-consolidated amendments to this regulation that may be in effect.

[includes amendments up to B.C. Reg. 4/2014, January 31, 2014]

Point in Time

Schedule 9

[en. B.C. Reg. 324/2004, s. 70; am. B.C. Regs. 239/2007, s. 9; 343/2008, s. 18.]

Generic Numerical Sediment Criteria1 

COLUMN I COLUMN II COLUMN III COLUMN IV COLUMN V
Substance Freshwater

Sediment2 
Freshwater

Sediment2 
Marine and

Estuarine

Sediment3 
Marine and

Estuarine

Sediment3 
Sensitive4 

(SedQCSS)
Typical5 

(SedQCTS)
Sensitive4 

(SedQCSS)
Typical5 

(SedQCTS)
Inorganic Substances
arsenic 11.0 20.0 26.0 50.06
cadmium 2.2 4.2 2.6 5.0
chromium (total) 56.06 110.0 99.0 190.0
copper 120.0 240.0 67.0 130.0
lead 57.0 110.0 69.0 130.0
mercury 0.3 0.58 0.43 0.84
zinc 200.0 380.0 170.0 330.0
Organic Substances

Chlorinated Hydrocarbons


chlorinated aliphatics
hexachlorocyclohexane7 0.000866 0.00176 0.00061 0.00126
miscellaneous chlorinated hydrocarbons
PCBs9(total) 0.17 0.33 0.12 0.23
PCDDs and PCDFs8 0.000136 0.000266 0.00013 0.000266
Phenolic Substances
chlorinated phenols
pentachlorophenol 0.410 0.810 0.3611 0.6911
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
alkylated low molecular weight PAHs

2-methylnaphthalene
0.12 0.24 0.12 0.24
low molecular weight PAHs
acenaphthene 0.055 0.11 0.055 0.11
acenaphthylene 0.08 0.15 0.079 0.15
anthracene 0.15 0.29 0.15 0.29
fluorene 0.089 0.17 0.089 0.17
naphthalene 0.24 0.47 0.24 0.47
phenanthrene 0.32 0.62 0.34 0.65
high molecular weight PAHs
benz[a]anthracene 0.24 0.46 0.43 0.83
benzo[a]pyrene 0.48 0.94 0.47 0.92
chrysene 0.53 1.0 0.52 1.0
dibenz[a,h]anthracene 0.084 0.16 0.084 0.16
fluoranthene 1.5 2.8 0.93 1.8
pyrene 0.54 1.1 0.87 1.7
Total PAHs
PAHs (total) 12 10.0 20.0 10.0 20.0
Pesticides
chlordane 0.0055 0.011 0.003 0.0057
DDD (total) 13 0.0053 0.01 0.0048 0.0094
DDE (total) 14 0.0042 0.0081 0.23 0.45
DDT (total) 15 0.003 0.0057 0.003 0.0057
dieldrin 0.0041 0.008 0.0027 0.0052
endrin 0.039 0.0756 0.039 0.0756
heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide 0.0017 0.00336 0.0017 0.0033
lindane 7 0.000866 0.00176 0.00061 0.00126

Footnotes

1.All values are in μg/g dry weight (dwt) unless otherwise stated. Substance must be analyzed using methods specified in a director's protocol or alternate methods acceptable to a director.
2.Criteria to protect freshwater aquatic life.
3.Criteria to protect marine and/or estuarine aquatic life.
4.Sensitive sediment means sediment at a site with sensitive aquatic habitat and for which sensitive sediment management objectives apply. Consult director for further advice.
5.Typical sediment means sediment that is not sensitive sediment. Consult director for further advice.
6.Denotes a sediment quality criteria which is considered less reliable or that could not be fully evaluated.
7.Criteria is specific to gamma isomer.
8.Calculated using data for PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs and associated PCDD, PCDF and PCB toxicity equivalency factors.
9.Total PCBs includes either the sum of four to seven Arochlor mixtures (i.e. Arochlor 1016, 1221, 1232, 1242, 1248, 1254 and/or 1260) or the sum of ≥ 20 individual PCB congeners. No discrete criterion for Arochlor 1254 was derived, since the existing Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment interim Probable Effects Level (PEL) for that substance was inconsistent with the PEL provided for total PCBs and the Probable Effects Level (PEL) for Arochlor 1254 was derived using methods different from those used to derive the criterion for total PCBs listed in this schedule.
10.Criterion is set equal to the State of New York, Department of Environmental Conservation, 1994 criterion for the substance.
11.Criterion is set equal to the Washington State, Department of Ecology, 1991 criterion for the substance.
12.Total PAHs includes:

2-methylnaphthalene,

acenaphthalene,

acenaphthene,

anthracene,

benz[a]anthracene,

benzo[a]pyrene,

chrysene,

dibenz[a,h]anthracene,

fluorene,

fluoranthene,

naphthalene,

phenanthrene, and

pyrene.
13.DDD is 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethane
14.DDE is 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene
15.DDT is 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane

Contents  |  Parts 1 to 18  |  Schedule 1  |  Schedule 1.1  |  Schedule 2  |  Schedule 3  |  Schedule 4  |  Schedule 5  |  Schedule 6  |  Schedule 7  |  Schedule 8  |  Schedule 9  |  Schedule 10  |  Schedule 11