GHS ScienceCAPT Embedded Task

Brownfield Sites

Does this place look familiar?

CosCob Power Plant = Brownfield Site

What is a Brownfield Site? Piece of land that was once used for industrial

purposes and is now typically abandoned

because of suspected contamination.

What is a contaminant? A contaminant is a toxic chemical that can harm

humans and/or the environment. Contaminants can pollute water, air, and/or soil.

Mercury BenzeneArsenic

Contaminants of Major Concern Asbestos – Cause respiratory problems Pesticides – Cause cancer & birth defects Benzene – Causes cancer Lead and Copper - Neurotoxic Mercury – May cause physical and mental

disorders. PCBs – Possible cause of cancer & birth defects

Think… Think of another site/place in Greenwich that

might become a Brownfield site in the future.

How would a site become contaminated?

Where do contaminants come from?

Contaminants Possible source of contamination

Heavy metals:

arsenic, cadmium chromium, lead, mercury

metal finishing/plating shops,

manufacturing and foundries, coal burning

power plants

Gasoline/constituents of gasoline:

gasoline, benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene,

xylene

gasoline stations, tank farms, pipelines

Petroleum Products Leaking undergound storage tanks

Solvents:

tetrachloroethlyene, trichloroethylene,

III-trichloroethane

dry cleaners, machine shops,

metal finishing/plating shops

Remediation: Making Brownfield sites safe and usable again…

Identify and measure contaminants Determine the safety risks Stop the contaminants from spreading Remove or isolate the contaminants

Why Redevelop Brownfield Sites?

Discounted real estate cost Valuable location Reduce pressure on undeveloped land Preserve historical or architecturally significant

buildings Eliminate health and safety hazards Improve community

Your Task

11

1. Formulate a question/problem statement

about a Brownfield site that can be answered

through a scientific experiment/investigation.

2. Design a scientific experiment/investigation

that answers your question/problem statement.