IAQ - State Report Warns of Past Vapor Intrusion Risks at Former Macon Naval Plant, Cites Progress in Air Quality Improvements
/A 2025 report from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) warns that vapor intrusion from contaminated groundwater once compromised indoor air quality at the former Macon Naval Ordnance Plant, now operating as Allied Industrial Park in Macon, Georgia. The health consultation, conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), identified trichloroethene (TCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) vapors entering indoor spaces, particularly a facility breakroom at Unit 1. These chlorinated volatile organic compounds, remnants of decades-old industrial activity, were linked to potential cancer and developmental health risks for long-term employees and pregnant workers.
The Letter Health Consultation evaluated indoor air and sub-slab soil gas data collected in 2015, 2020, and 2023. Air monitoring in 2015 showed elevated TCE concentrations exceeding federal health comparison values, raising concern for fetal cardiac malformations and increased cancer risk among employees exposed over 20 years. Following remediation efforts—including sealing foundation cracks, improving ventilation, and air filtration—subsequent testing demonstrated substantial reductions in TCE and VC levels. By 2023, measured concentrations had dropped below minimal risk levels for both cancer and non-cancer health outcomes.
DPH concluded that earlier exposures to TCE in indoor air posed a public health hazard, but current conditions present no significant health risk. The report emphasizes that vapor intrusion—a process in which volatile chemicals from contaminated soil or groundwater migrate into overlying buildings—remains a critical concern for maintaining safe indoor environments. Continued annual air sampling, especially during winter months when buildings are sealed, was recommended to ensure that chemical vapors remain at safe levels and that mitigation systems continue to perform effectively.
The Macon case highlights the intersection between environmental contamination and workplace air quality, serving as a cautionary example for industrial and redevelopment sites nationwide. DPH and ATSDR stress the importance of coordinated monitoring, transparent employee communication, and proactive remediation to prevent chronic exposure to residual industrial pollutants. As vapor intrusion continues to emerge as a key environmental exposure pathway, the 2025 report reinforces the need for rigorous indoor air quality oversight to protect both occupational health and surrounding communities.