There could be so many environmental dangers lurking around the outside of your home, but you wouldn’t know about them unless you did some serious research. Before you lived in your home, there could have been a company or factory there or within a short distance of the neighborhood. Maybe it manufactured steel or chemicals, so there is a possibility that spills occurred or waste was disposed of improperly. However, simple searches on the web can either put your mind at ease or make you more aware and proactive in protecting yourself and your family.

To determine if a superfund site (hazardous waste site) is near the location of your home or office, search the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website. This provides you with basic information about the sites including the status and types of contaminants, so you can know what the risks are. If remediation is taking place, you can also determine how far along they are and what they are doing to stop the chemicals from spreading. As a homeowner, don’t you want to know these things and become an informed resident?

In Ohio, there is a Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR) that home owning residents can consult. This site monitors the tanks so that any releases can be remediated appropriately and efficiently. You can use the UST search engine to find USTs near you if you live in Ohio. If you don’t live in this state, you can at least check the EPA’s site and maybe your local waste management facility or incinerator might have more information.

It’s beneficial to know the potential dangers around you so that you can protect your health as well as stand up for the environment. Raising community awareness and monitoring the stages of remediation is a way to ensure that dangerous chemicals such as Benzene or Mirex are not getting into your drinking water supply or a local creek or river. Why take a chance when you can do a simply online search? So get your friends and family together, do some research and create awareness in your community.