The EPA is believed to be the first in Australia to successfully retro fit vapour mitigation systems (VMS) to residential properties.
The mitigation systems were installed to reduce concentrations of the potentially carcinogenic compound trichloroethene (TCE) within in indoor air to safe levels (<2 µg/m3).
EPA’s Civil and Environmental Engineer, Mitch Tablot, who managed the VMS project, said the systems were installed in late 2016 at two residential properties in the suburb of Beverley at which indoor air concentrations of TCE were found to be in excess of 20 µg/m3.
“Since the time of installation the EPA has validated the effectiveness of the systems through periodic monitoring and demonstrated that effective and consistent reductions of indoor air TCE have been achieved.
“Vapour mitigation systems have been used extensively in the United States for the management of naturally occurring radon gas, however the technology was believed to have been relatively untested in Australia – until now,” he said.
Mitigation systems are also planned to be installed at a number of residential properties in the suburb of Thebarton.