Vapor Intrusion Assessments
A recently identified assessment protocol, which will become more relevant in the future, is a Vapor
Intrusion Assessment. The effect of underlying vapors on a site has largely been dismissed because
the main concern of a discharge was its effect on soil and groundwater and if a building had an
impervious floor the public health concern over exposure to a contaminant was thought to be low.
However, it has recently been shown that vapors arising from Volatile Organic Compounds in soil
could permeate concrete or asphalt and enter the atmosphere within a building. Also, buildings
occupied by or adjacent to the types of businesses that routinely produce vapors could be subject to
residual vapors from those activities.
Sites and structures which are most likely to need a Vapor Intrusion Assessment include buildings
associated with gas stations, paint & body shops, boat building facilities, vehicle service facilities,
maintenance buildings, paint shops, pesticide and fertilizer sheds, boat storage sheds, and other
industrial facilities.
A Vapor Intrusion Assessment would be important during development of a historically contaminated site where direct exposure to contaminants from soil and groundwater has been contained and potential risk has been minimized to the satisfaction of regulatory agencies, but the site has not been totally cleaned up. Buildings constructed on such a site could be affected by
vapors from underlying contaminants.
The regulatory agencies could exempt future owners from
liability for cleanup, but would require various Activity Use Limitations and Conditions including
the requirement to conduct a Vapor Intrusion Assessment prior to occupancy of the structure.
Empire Environmental, Inc. conducts Vapor Intrusion Assessments utilizing equipment that collects
air samples for subsequent analysis and provides a report outlining the results.
