EPA typically requires two to three hours to collect environmental samples from residences which are considered for the clean-up program and five to seven days to complete the cleanup once the residence is determined to be eligible. EPA and its authorized representatives access to the property for this time period. However, the property owner has and maintains the right to refuse access to EPA and its authorized representatives at any time. The Interim Removal Action is a voluntary program designed to protect vulnerable community members from the potentially harmful effects of exposure to dust and soil containing high levels of heavy metals. Therefore, EPA is concentrating its efforts on areas where children frequent and may come in contact with the contaminants.
Obvious places are their homes and common-use areas such as parks and playgrounds.
While EPA would prefer to address each contaminated property, the Agency is focusing its interim cleanup on homes with both high concentrations of contaminants and small children. In addition, the Agency is targeting common-use areas. More importantly, however, since the majority of contact with soil would occur in property owner's yards and in common-use areas, the interim cleanup action provides the best protection at this time. If the results of environmental sampling conducted at a particular property indicate high levels of cadmium or lead and small children live or spend a lot of time at the property, then EPA considers including the property in the clean-up program. EPA does not consider participation in any environmental or other group as part of the decision-making process.