Crane seepage: Crane seepage No health or environmental risks detected – EPA

After an extensive investigation into the mysterious seepage reported by residents of Crane Village, West Coast Demerara (WCD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the substance poses no health or environmental risks.
That investigation, a comprehensive scientific inquiry led by EPA Executive Director Kemraj Parsram, had been ongoing for over a month, from October 8 to November 19, 2024. It involved visits to affected areas, laboratory analyses, and community surveys, including testing of the substance collected from tiles, assessments of air and soil quality, and community-wide surveys.
Based on the results of that inquiry, the EPA concluded that the substance is not hydrocarbon-based, no toxic gases or radiation beyond normal background levels were detected in affected homes, and tile damage was limited to a few households and has been an intermittent issue for several years, even predating the COVID-19 pandemic.
The regulatory body has also disclosed that an expert review attributed the damage to efflorescence, a natural process in which soluble salts from construction materials rise to the surface due to moisture. The EPA has also pointed to structural flaws such as the lack of Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) and poor construction practices as contributing factors. Further, the EPA has confirmed that no further incidents of odours have been reported.

According to Parsram, the findings bring relief to residents, who had been alarmed by strange odours, health concerns, and damage to floor tiles.
“We thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and remain committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all residents and the environment,” Mr Parsram has added.
Parsram has explained that while the EPA’s role in this matter has now been completed, residents are encouraged to consult professional construction and engineering services to address structural issues.
Back in October, several residents of Crane had been faced with the mysterious issue of a substance seeping into their homes through their floor tiles, resulting in strange odors, health-related concerns, and damaged floor tiles in some homes being reported by residents in the area. This had prompted the EPA to launch an investigation. One week after the agency collected samples of the substance, the EPA revealed that no petroleum-based hydro-carbons were discovered.