Waterfront property or property near rail lines or truck routes is obviously more vulnerable than other places. It is the risk we take for living in an industrial society. Presence is when contamination exists in a medium due to some historical use. If a subdivision is built over or near an old landfill or industrial site, for example, hazardous substances could surface because of the disturbance caused by housing construction. The presence of existing hazardous contaminants is difficult to detect.
Some states require environmental surveys of land before development proceeds.
Naturally occurring substances exist in nature without any assistance from us. We simply choose to build homes where these substances exist. Radon is a commonly recognized example. As you can see, environmental concerns can be obvious or most unexpected. Future segments will explore the details of each type of contamination, how to search out the facts, and what you can do to avoid a very expensive and possibly harmful mistake.