Environmental pollution can affect anyone, especially those who live, work, or play near contaminated sites. There are different aspects to managing and cleaning up environmental contamination. People’s personal or business interests will affect what aspects of the cleanup they are most concerned about.
Residents and Concerned Citizens
Local residents and concerned citizens want to know if their health, property, or the local environment has been affected by contamination. They want details on the location and nature of contaminated sites, whether there are health impacts, and how and when the contamination will be cleaned up. They also may want to know what they can do to prevent environmental pollution. These resources provide more information:
- The Indiana Maps website shows the location of many cleanup or remediation sites in Indiana. Explore layers of interest in the “Environment” section of the Layer Gallery.
- The Illegal Drug Labs website covers the cleanup and inspection of former meth lab locations in Indiana.
- The Pollution Prevention website details how to properly dispose of household hazardous waste, electronic waste, and unwanted medicines.
Business Owners, Property Owners, and Consultants
Responsible parties and environmental professionals tend to be concerned with legal obligations, cleanup costs, technical requirements, and available options. The Office of Land Quality (OLQ) works with them to properly address contamination issues, which are grouped into the following categories based on knowledge about the site.
- Potentially Contaminated Properties: In many instances, an investigation or assessment is required to evaluate site conditions and determine if there is actually a pollution problem. OLQ’s investigation programs frequently handle this initial step.
- Contaminated Properties: After the completion of an assessment or investigation of an environmental situation, OLQ determines if a problem exists and if a cleanup action is needed. If so, OLQ’s cleanup programs manage the activity.
- Completed Properties: A property may be considered “completed” following an assessment, cleanup, and/or implementation of use restrictions. At properties where no risks were found, or where the risks were adequately addressed, there is generally a closure or completion process that documents the procedures and completes OLQ’s oversight of the property.