What is a Brownfield?

What is a Brownfield?

Brownfields are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

What do Brownfields Look Like in Your Community?

Brownfields vary from community to community. A brownfield could look like a vacant lot, a gas station, or a dilapidated mill building. Depending on your location, several types of brownfields may exist in your community. The following table depicts potential brownfields which may be a part of your community.

Types of Brownfields*
Obvious	Less Obvious	Not Obvious
Abandoned Mills Gasoline & Service Stations Manufacturing Companies Dry Cleaners	Commercial / Strip Malls Hair & Nail Salons Home Improvement / Paint Stores Doctor, Dentist, Veterinary Clinics Hospitals & Universities Print Shops	Residential Farms & Orchards Parks
*This is not a comprehensive list of brownfield types

The following link provides fact sheets containing a variety of information on brownfields including where they may be found and frequently reported contaminants: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/understanding-brownfields

Potential Contaminants

Contaminants are any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substances that have an adverse effect on air, water, or soil. The most common contaminants found in Rhode Island include the following:

Metals (note: some are naturally occurring in the environment; others are the results of a Release)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs)
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH)
- Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (EPH)
- Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons (VPH)

Soil, water, and air contamination occur from a variety of sources and activities. Government, public, industrial, or commercial facilities, as well as households, can generate or use chemicals that cause contamination when improperly used. However, some chemicals considered contaminants occur naturally in the environment. Many metals, for example, are commonly found in soil.

Understanding a site’s background and previous activities can help instruct which contaminants may be present at the property.

“Typical” Contaminants & Property Types*

Property Type	Potential Contaminant Sources	Contaminant Types	Chemical Category
Gas Stations	Underground Storage Tanks, Dispenser Islands & Piping	Gasoline (leaded & unleaded) & Other Petroleum Products	Metals, VOCs, SVOCs, Petroleum
Service Stations Body Shops	Paint Booths, Degreasing, Floor Drains, Tanks, Fuels	Oil, Grease, Gasoline, Paint, Thinners, Strippers	Metals, VOCs, SVOCs, Petroleum
Old Mills Manufacturing	Tanks, Floor Drains, Drywells, Painting, Metal Finishing, Machining, Degreasing, On-Site Disposal, Spills, Electric Equipment, Lifts/Elevators	Acids/Alkalis, Metals, Cleaning Solvents, Paints, Cyanides, Thinners, Oils, Fuels	Metals, VOCs, SVOCs, Petroleum, Corrosives, Cyanide, PCBs
Hair & Nail Salons	Hair Dyes, Bleaches, Nail Polish & Remover, Laundering	Metals, Solvents (in polish & remover), Acids/Alkalis, Peroxide	Metals, VOCs, Corrosives
Medical & Veterinary (Hospitals & Offices)	Drugs, Labs, Disinfecting & Cleaning, Blood/Tissue	Metals, Solvents, Corrosives	Metals, VOCs, Corrosives
K-12 & Higher Ed	Science Labs, Art (paint, ceramics), Shop & Trade Rooms (wood, automotive), Athletic Complexes (rinks, fields, pools), Fuel Tanks, Transformers	Oil, Metals, Paints & Thinners, Pesticides/Herbicides, Ammonia, Ethylene Glycol	Metals, VOCs, SVOCs, Petroleum, Pesticides/Herbicides, Refrigerants, PCBs
Farms & Orchards	Barns & Garages, Maintenance, Pest Management, Fueling, Tanks, Animal Waste Management Areas	Gasoline, Oils, Metals, Paint, Pesticides/Herbicides	Metals, VOCs, Petroleum, Pesticides/Herbicides, Nitrogen, Phosphorous
Railroad/Rail Lines	Petroleum, Pest & Weed Control	Oil, Pesticides/Herbicides	Metals, PAHs, Petroleum, Pesticides/Herbicides, PCBs
Residential	Property and Vehicle Maintenance, Lead Paint, Historical Uses	Cleaners, Paint, Thinner, Oil, Pesticides/Herbicides, Gasoline	Metals, VOCs, SVOCs, Petroleum, Pesticides/Herbicides
*^{Courtesy of Suzanne Courtemanche, Tighe & Bond}