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Brownfields - Identification
What Do Brownfields Look Like? Brownfields come in many sizes, shapes and involving many obstacles to redevelopment, including varying degrees of environmental contamination. Common types that we see everyday or are generally classified as potential brownfields include abandoned gas stations, old dry cleaning operations and vacant factories from our industrial past. But there are other properties that can be classified as brownfields such as old and vacant office buildings, warehouses as well as commercial operations that line many of our old commercial corridors of the city. Many of these lesser known brownfield properties may contain contaminants such as asbestos, lead paint as well as other hazardous chemicals that were used as part of normal business operations that must now be cleaned up as these properties are redeveloped. The following photographs depict several different types of properties that may be classified as brownfields.
What Type of Contaminants Are Usually Found at Brownfield Sites? The following table provides a brief summary of common commercial and industrial activities or operations from our past and the potential contaminants that may have been left behind at these sites:
What type of evaluation is used to determine if a property is in fact contaminated? Given the potential for contamination at a brownfield site, there is a standard prescriptive method used to investigate suspected brownfield property. These investigations are known as environmental site investigations (ESAs). ESAs are investigations that identify and evaluate environmental concerns on a site or in an area. They are conducted by trained individuals (i.e., usually environmental consulting firms) to determine: 1) if contamination is suspected, 2) if it is, the magnitude and extent of contamination, and 3) a recommendation of cleanup goals and remediation options. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards are widely used guides for conducting ESAs on commercial and industrial properties. The first step in this process is a Phase I ESA, which is a non-intrusive evaluation of the potential presence of contamination on a commercial or industrial property. ASTM standard E-1527-97, Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process, is the basic guide for conducting the evaluation. Typical steps in a Phase I evaluation include: After conducting the Phase I ESA and contamination is suspected, a Phase II ESA may be initiated. Typically, Phase II ESAs are designed and performed to meet site-specific needs to determine the nature and extent of the suspected contamination. ASTM E-1903-97, Standard Guide for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Process, provides accepted industry guidance when conducting these investigations. Phase II ESA activities can range from non-intrusive methods to actual field sampling of soils, surface water, groundwater, and waste materials on the property. Methods available for performing the investigations range from geophysical exploration to evaluate the presence of buried metallic objects, such as drums or underground storage tanks, to the collection and laboratory analysis of soil and groundwater samples. A Phase II ESA should provide enough information to: Phase II ESA's are usually conducted after the property's future use objectives are well defined. A Phase II investigation is tailored to meet site-specific needs and, at a minimum, may involve limited sampling and analysis to confirm or eliminate potential environmental concerns. Due to the complexity and variability of conducting Phase II ESAs, ASTM E 1903-97 should be referenced for the basic framework and further explanation of the Phase II investigative process. Typically, after the Phase II ESA is completed and the types and levels of contamination have been delineated, the next step involves the design of the cleanup activities that are planned at the site, which ultimately leads to the actual cleanup of the contamination. |
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