Environmental hazards in real estate
Know what’s in the ground, the water and the air before you buy
Inspectors routinely check for hazards inside a building. Pollution outside it, in the soil and groundwater, can be just as harmful, and it’s getting more attention from buyers, lenders and agents.
Known health risks that inspectors and other professionals evaluate routinely.
Asbestos-containing materials
Indoor air quality
PCB-containing equipment
Often just as hazardous, and easy to miss without research.
Soil contamination
Groundwater contamination
Underground storage tanks
Industrial waste, dry-cleaning solvents and petroleum from leaking tanks can seep into soil and groundwater. Chemicals in the ground can also travel through soil as vapor and pollute indoor air.
Contaminated property usually loses value, and nearby properties often do too. Some become stigmatized.
Exposure through groundwater, surface water, soil or vapor can harm the people who live or work there.
Buyers can be held liable for cleanup when they sell, even if they didn’t cause or know about the contamination.
Hazards vary by region, but most come from a handful of sources.
1
Leaking underground storage tanks and spills of toxic substances
2
Past commercial, farming or industrial use on or near the property, sometimes going back to the late 1800s
3
Vapor or liquid moving through underground plumes, which can spread for miles, or through groundwater
4
Illegal dumping of hazardous materials
5
Improper handling, treatment or storage of hazardous materials
Testing a property for environmental hazards takes skills and equipment that are usually too expensive for a typical buyer. These two options cost far less.
Option 1
Federal, state and local agencies, including the EPA, have identified thousands of potentially contaminated sites nationwide. Your nearest regional EPA office is a good place to start researching nearby hazardous sites and their status.
Option 2, recommended
An environmental report pulls data from government and private databases into one easy-to-read source. Reports often cover:
Leaking underground tanks
Spills
Superfund sites
Hazardous waste sites
Landfills
Clandestine drug labs, in some areas
A few simple steps help owners and buyers respond.
1
If a private well serves the property, have the water tested. If a nearby underground petroleum leak is a concern, test for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Contaminated water can often be treated with added filtration.
2
If vapor from an underground plume is getting into the building, a ventilation system can be installed. It’s the same kind of system used to reduce radon gas.
3
Check whether contamination may be affecting the soil or surface water. Warning signs include:
Patches of dead vegetation
Strong odors
Dark or oily soil
An oily sheen on water
Ask Scott about an environmental report for your property, alongside your commercial inspection.