This video provides background on the EPA’s new rules on vapor intrusion, or the intrusion of chemicals into the air inside buildings. The issue applies to any building constructed on a site that was previously used for commercial or industrial purposes. The EPA’s rules differ dramatically from previous guidelines and could have a significant impact on building construction, but because they’re so new, many consultants in the industry still aren’t aware of them. See more +

This video provides background on the EPA’s new rules on vapor intrusion, or the intrusion of chemicals into the air inside buildings. The issue applies to any building constructed on a site that was previously used for commercial or industrial purposes. The EPA’s rules differ dramatically from previous guidelines and could have a significant impact on building construction, but because they’re so new, many consultants in the industry still aren’t aware of them.

In a nutshell, the EPA has determined that very small amounts – single digits per billion – of chemicals used into the 1990s for cleaning, and in particular dry cleaning, may pose health concerns. That means that chemicals that were released decades ago could still be present today at concentrations that give rise to risk. Getting up to speed on this issue is critical, because although it is relatively easy to determine up front if there is a potential vapor intrusion problem and address it in advance, it's much more challenging to fix a problem after a building has been constructed or occupied.

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