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Most Contaminated Counties in California Shown to Be the Most Populated

Posted on: Tuesday, 18 April 2006, 09:00 CDT

MILFORD, Conn., April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study reveals that the counties with the greatest number of residential inhabitants also have the most widespread problems with contamination. The finding is derived from a study conducted by Environmental Data Resources (EDR), a leading national provider of environmental information, which provides a county-by-county examination of environmental hazards that could have a negative impact on everything from personal health to property values for residents located in proximity to the toxic sites.

Of the ten most populated counties in California, Contra Costa County ranked lowest in incidents of contamination. The least contaminated county in California is Modoc, a rural county in the extreme northeast corner of the state.

"It's important that people understand that they may be living near significant environmental hazards," said Rob Barber, CEO of Environmental Data Resources. "Today, it is a common practice when buying a home to look for hazards like asbestos and radon, but other environmental threats could exist as well, such as leaking underground storage tanks or contaminates effecting soil and groundwater such as perchlorate. This study suggests that environmental hazards are widespread in the most populated parts of the state, which is why we're working with California real estate agents to arm home buyers with as much pre-purchase information as possible."

The study aggregates environmental data from federal, state and local government sources as well as tribal information to rank the counties in the state that have the highest and lowest risk of contamination. The counties in California that pose the lowest environmental risk are Modoc, Sierra, Mariposa, Inyo, Tehama, Calaveras, Mono, Trinity, Tuolumne and Colusa. The highest risk counties are Los Angeles, Alameda, San Diego, Santa Clara, Orange, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, Fresno and Sacramento.

While the study includes nine different types of environmental hazards that exist in California and almost 36,000 contaminated sites in total, three categories of hazards that are critical to the rankings include:

* Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: Leaking underground storage tanks are a significant source of contamination and may pose the following potential threats to health and safety: exposure from impacts to soil and/or groundwater; contamination of drinking water aquifers; contamination of public or private drinking water wells; inhalation of vapors. There are currently over 20,665 known leaking underground tanks in California that are awaiting remediation. * Perchlorate Count in Drinking Wells: Perchlorate contamination is derived from the California Drinking Water Quality Database and indicates if the chemical has been found in concentration levels above the allowed amount in groundwater. Perchlorate can interfere with iodide uptake by the thyroid gland and can lead to a host of development and growth problems. There are 2,212 sites of perchlorate water contamination in California. * State and Federal Superfund Sites: Superfund sites are the Federal and state governments' programs to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Under the Superfund program, abandoned, accidentally spilled, or illegally dumped hazardous waste that pose a current or future threat to human health or the environment are cleaned up. The sites noted in the report are those that are still in the process of remediation. There are currently 428 sites classified in state and federal databases as superfund sites in California.

The county rankings in the study are based on the quantity of identified hazards in each county, which is then weighted by the remediation costs for each type of hazardous site found. These clean up costs are based on estimates and averages from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and are an important factor to consider, as the more expensive the cleanup, the more severe the environmental hazard.

Disclosure of these types of environmental hazards has been identified as an important issue by the California State Legislature as it garners more attention from local communities across the state. Environmental Data Resources is supporting a bill, AB 2228, which has been introduced in the State Assembly by Assemblywoman Noreen Evans that would make all home buyers aware of the option to buy an environmental report that discloses if a property is in proximity to various types of environmental hazards.

"Environmental disclosure reports are quickly becoming a standard practice for home buyers and sellers in parts of California," Barber continued. "We support this bill because it will increase awareness of the importance of environmental disclosure to all residents in California and ensure everyone has the ability to access a standardized, professional report should they so choose."

About EDR

Environmental Data Resources Inc. (EDR) is the nation's premier provider of environmental risk information services and reports. The company offers current, prior use and regulatory compliance information services tailored to either a specific property address or company name. EDR offers these services to all participants in a real estate transaction, including the lender, environmental engineer, buyer, seller, attorney and insurer. The company's Market Research Group provides strategic data and analysis on environmental due diligence trends, including market surveys, newsletters, and workshops. Established in 1991, EDR's headquarters are in Milford, Connecticut; regional offices are located throughout the United States. EDR is wholly owned by DMG Information Inc., the business information division of Daily Mail and General Trust, plc (DMGT). For more information, visit http://www.edrnet.com/.

MEDIA CONTACT: On Behalf of EDR Jesse Danzig 212-279-3115 x213 Jesse@cjpcom.com

Environmental Data Resources Inc.

CONTACT: Jesse Danzig for EDR, +1-212-279-3115 x213, Jesse@cjpcom.com

Web site: http://www.edrnet.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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