EPA releases technical guides on vapor intrusion assessment and mitigation

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released technical guides related to assessment and mitigation on sites with vapor intrusion issues or concerns on Thursday, aiming to standardize methods for the nation.

The two guides released are the "Technical Guide for Assessing and Mitigating the Vapor Intrusion Pathway from Subsurface Vapor Sources to Indoor Air" and the "Technical Guide for Addressing Petroleum Vapor Intrusion at Leaking Underground Storage Tank Sites." Collectively, they address a range of federal land cleanup statutes from national, state and local authorities.

“These guides will promote national consistency in assessing and addressing the vapor intrusion human exposure pathway at contaminated sites to protect human health – particularly the most vulnerable,” EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Mathy Stanislaus said. “States, tribes and localities, in particular, will find the guides to be critical resources for identifying and considering key factors related to vapor intrusion assessments, risk management decisions and mitigation actions.”

The guides come in the wake of increased awareness of the harm that vapor intrusion can potentially cause and draw upon a growing body of literature pertaining to the issue.