Professional Environmental Associates, LLC (PEA) has assisted a multitude of its clients (residential, child care, commercial and industrial) in assessing the indoor and outdoor environmental and identifying and resolving environmental problems/site contamination. Our services include conducting:
- Phase I Environmental Assessments/Audits
- Phase II Studies (sampling and analysis/additional evaluation)
- Phase III Studies (remediation)
- Indoor and outdoor sampling and forensic analysis including conducting Indoor Environmental Health Assessments (IEHA’s)
- Vapor Intrusion Studies
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS & PHASE I AUDITS
Professional Environmental Associates, LLC has conducted a multitude of Preliminary Assessments (PA’s) and Phase I Environmental Assessments. For many of these PA’s and Phase I’s, Areas of Concern (AOC’s)/Recognized Environmental Conditions (REC’s) were identified, many involving Indoor and outdoor Environmental issues or problems. PEA subsequently addressed or resolved many of the AOC’s/REC’s through additional studies (Phase II) including environmental sampling and analysis (soils, groundwater, air and ecological) and remediation (Phase III Studies/Action). All studies were conducted in compliance with ASTM Standards.
Five (5) years ago, New Jersey promulgated regulations requiring environmental evaluation of Child Care Centers/Facilities. Since then, PEA has conducted about two hundred (200) Preliminary Assessments and obtained “No Further Action” letters from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for Child Care Centers. In anticipation of Indoor Environmental regulations subsequent promulgated by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDH&SS), PEA expanded the typical scope of these assessments. This expansion included analysis of the indoor environment by specifically addressing Mold, Lead, Asbestos, PCB’s, Radon, Vapor Intrusion, chemical exposure and general air quality.
PHASE II ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
For many of these PA’s and Phase I’s, Areas of Concern (AOC’s)/Recognized Environmental Conditions (REC’s) were identified and needed to be subsequently addressed or resolved. This was accomplished through additional/Phase II Studies including air sampling and analysis, vapor intrusion studies, studies concerning petroleum hydrocarbons, lead, asbestos, mold, odors and PCB’s and general chemical exposure.
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
In 2010, NJDH&SS promulgated regulations requiring Indoor Environmental Health Assessments. Professional Environmental Associates, LLC was one of the first companies to become licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services (NJDH&SS) as Indoor Environmental Consultants. We have pulled together a team of experts/specialists trained and experienced in Mold, Lead, Asbestos, Radon, Vapor Intrusion, Indoor Air Quality and Outdoor Air Quality, in order to address all issues concerning the indoor environment. Our experts/specialists hold individual Federal and State Certificates and Licenses as well.
Since promulgation of the New Jersey Indoor Air Quality Regulations and their implementation by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDH&SS) for schools and child care centers, PEA has been conducting Indoor Environmental Health Assessments, (IEHA’s) for these facilities, as well as for residential dwellings.
Several of the buildings/sites which are now schools and child care centers were previously agricultural fields, factories, gasoline stations, drycleaners or other problem sites, and/or were adjacent to such sites or facilities. As such, PEA conducted additional studies including sampling (soils, groundwater, air and ecological), underground storage tank or asbestos removal and/or other site remediation actions.
For the Indoor/Outdoor Air Quality Studies and IEHA’s, PEA’s staff has also conducted indoor and outdoor air sampling using Field Screening Test Kits, Direct-Reading Instrumentation (DRI) such as Photo-ionization Detectors (PID’s), Summa Canisters [one (1) and six (6) Liter], air pumps with filter or carbon cartridges or filters, Drager (or similar) colorimetric tubes and other portable monitoring equipment.
VAPOR INTRUSION STUDIES
PEA has conducted Vapor Intrusion Studies (VI’s) under NJDEP’s Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) or Site Remediation Program for residential, commercial and industrial sites and/or operations including as part of NJDEP’s Immediate Environmental Concern (IEC) program. The VI’s were not only to determine contaminant exposure but to identify the source(s) of the vapors such as groundwater contamination, leaking Underground Storage Tanks (UST’s), contaminated Historic Fill, nearby Known Contaminated Sites, past site uses or operations and spills or releases. Major Indoor Air and Vapor Intrusion problems which PEA has identified and addressed include for such contaminants as Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Benzene, Trichlorofluoroethylene, Tretrachloroethane, Methlyene Chloride, Trichoroethane, Acetone, Chlordane, Benzo(a)pyrene, Radon and Asbestos.
PEA’s staff has conducted indoor, outdoor and subslab air sampling using Field Screening Test Kits, Direct-Reading Instrumentation (DRI) such as Photo-ionization Detectors (PID’s), Summa Canisters [one (1) and six (6) Liter], air pumps with filter or carbon cartridges or filters, Drager (or similar) colorimetric tubes and other portable monitoring equipment.
PEA has integrated Vapor Intrusion Studies into the Indoor Environmental Health Assessment (IEHA) program as part of their efforts to assist Child Care Centers in obtaining or renewing their licenses with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF).
PHASE III/SITE REMEDIATION
Professional Environmental Associates, LLC has conducted and/or supervised a multitude of site remediation projects for eliminating or managing contamination of buildings and sites. Remediation includes:
- Removal of lead, asbestos, mold, PCB’s
- Chemical elimination and/or cleanup
- Engineering controls – Ventilation, coating/encapsulation, enclosure, etc.
- Institutional Controls
- Other site remediation methods
These projects have involved such contaminants/chemicals as Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Benzene, Trichloroethene, Trichoroethane, Tretrachloroethene, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, Methylene Chloride, Acetone, Freons, Chlordane, Radon, Asbestos, Methyl Tert Butyl Ether (MTBE), lead and arsenic.