Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

EPA has initiated a 10-year investigation of pervious concrete, permeable interlocking concrete, and porous asphalt pavements recently placed in a parking lot at its Edison, N.J., Environmental Center. “Runoff from parking lots and driveways is a significant source of water pollution and puts undo stress on our water infrastructure, especially in densely populated urban areas,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. “By evaluating different designs and materials, this study will help us develop strategies to lessen the environmental impacts of parking lots across the country and make our communities more sustainable.”

In late October, the agency noted the 43,000-sq.-ft. Edison installation as part of a study pinpointing ways to reduce pollution that can run off paved surfaces and improve how water filters back into the ground. EPA will evaluate the effectiveness of each pavement type and companion rain gardens in removing pollutants from stormwater, and how they help water filter back into the ground. The parking lot will be in service to accurately reflect how different pavement types handle traffic and vehicle-related pollution like leaking oil.

EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory will evaluate the pavements as they relate to stormwater management practices on a national scale. While the installation of such systems has become more prevalent, agency officials contend there is a lack of full-scale, real-world permeable pavement research projects. Leading up to this undertaking, EPA had listed pervious concrete, permeable interlocking concrete, and porous asphalt pavements among National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System best management practices.