Here is a RISC file bnzene.prj. It models contamination of the soil and transfer to the groundwater thence to a well. The contamination is benzene, 5 mg/kg, chloroform, 3 mg/kg, and phenol, 75 mg/kg. You should be able to download and run it. If all goes smoothly, you should first go to the end, Step 6, View the Results. Look at the View Charts displays. You will see that one of the chemicals contributes to cancer risk only, one to hazard index only, and one to both. Also note that the contribution of the three routes to the risk is very unequal. Then look at the View Tables, which has numbers.

10/15points (10 + 5 extra credit - limited to first two to try this).You work for the government agency responsible for environmental health. The View results from above is the essence of a consultant's report, also the time data in Step 3d, which shows when the contamination will arrive at wells of affected residents. The PRP is bankrupt and your agency has no available budget, an will have trouble paying the consultant.

Analyzing the report, you realize that with some "lifestyle changes" the residual risks might be "acceptable" Write a two paragraph press release that: notifies the public about the problem, the notion of "acceptability" to your agency, and suggests some things they may do to reduce their future risk. Also the release will announce a public open meeting next week.

10 points
You are an affected resident that has read one of the press releases in the newspaper. Write a one-paragraph speech that will read at the public meeting. You are not an expert, but should read the View Results yourself and make pertinent comments. (If there is more than one press release, note which one set you off.)