Environmental Health: Brownfields
Brownfields are defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.” Examples of brownfield sites may include abandoned gas stations, dry cleaners, or old factories.
Every community has brownfield properties. They can have a big effect on local economies, neighborhood property values, and property development. The public health impact of these properties is equally as important. The task of investigating, cleaning up, and drawing businesses back to these properties is very large.
At the local level, the planning, zoning, or economic development office is typically responsible for redeveloping brownfields. Local health departments play a role in ensuring public safety during these efforts. Brownfield redevelopment efforts support public health interests.
Brownfields and public health
Brownfield properties contain many potential health hazards:
- Physical health hazards, like uncovered holes, unsafe structures, and sharp objects.
- Chemical contamination or drums of chemical waste left behind from past industrial activities.
When people enter these properties or children use them as playgrounds and places to explore, they can be exposed to these dangers.
It’s a big task to investigate, clean up, and draw businesses back to these properties. It can also be very expensive. Without incentives for cleanup and redevelopment, contaminated properties may continue to pose public health hazards long into the future. For this reason, brownfield redevelopment programs can protect public health by removing health hazards from our communities.
Public health agencies’ involvement in redeveloping brownfields
Public health agencies level of involvement can vary based on the extent of the contamination at the brownfield site.
- For many brownfield properties, the problems and solutions may be simple and clear, with little need for direct public health agency involvement.
- For brownfield properties with widespread and complex contamination problems, health agencies can play an important role in recognizing dangers, evaluating health risks, and recommending appropriate cleanup actions.
- The intended future land use can determine what level of contamination poses a health hazard. In these cases, the health agency’s involvement can serve to assure the community that redevelopment plans will protect public health.
- For cleaned up properties with lingering health questions, health agencies’ evaluation may help lower community concern about redevelopment.
Resources
- Visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Brownfields webpage for general information about brownfield redevelopment initiatives and opportunities in Wisconsin.
- Use the Wisconsin Remediation and Redevelopment Database to search for information on different contaminated land activities in Wisconsin.
- Visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields webpage or the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Land Reuse Health Program webpage for more information about national brownfield programs.
Questions? Can't find what you're looking for?
Contact us at DHSEnvHealth@dhs.wisconsin.gov