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Investigation and Cleanup Strategies and Concerns

The Office of Land Quality’s (OLQ) primary goal is to eliminate risk to human health and the environment. To achieve this goal, OLQ must consider specific impacts of environmental contamination that may pose a risk, such as vapor intrusion. If OLQ finishes active cleanup at a site and residual contamination remains, it may use additional closure strategies to manage any risk to human health and the environment associated with the remaining contamination.

  • Vapor Intrusion:
    • IDEM may evaluate and address toxic chemicals from underground that affect the air quality in buildings above them to ensure vapor is not migrating into residences or other occupied structures above health protective levels.
  • Institutional Controls:
    • IDEM may use legal or administrative measures such as environmental restrictive covenants to restrict property activity, use, and access to limit the potential for human exposure to contaminants.
  • Engineering Controls:
    • IDEM may use physical methods such as covers, fences, and slurry walls to reduce or eliminate exposure to contamination remaining on-site.

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