Risk-based criteria or standards, developed in the framework of risk-oriented policies, are applied to risks estimated with deterministic methodologies, following the steps of hazard characterization, appraisal of exposure and risk characterization, while using exposure-risk relations established beforehand. Risk-based criteria have been applied to decisions about soil remediation in the form of soil clean-up standards, to the use of soils for specific purposes and in the United States also to sediment management. The risk-oriented policies considered here, assume that background exposure to pollutants carries no risk and that a specified level of soil pollution carries a maximum tolerable or maximum acceptable risk for organisms living locally. The latter is the main basis for standard-setting.