A Phase I environmental site assessment is standard on nearly any industrial property, and a Phase II follows where the Phase I identifies a recognized environmental condition.
More detail
A Phase I is a records and site review: historical use, adjacent properties, regulatory databases, underground storage tanks, and a walkthrough. It is non-invasive and typically takes two to four weeks. A Phase II involves sampling soil or groundwater and takes longer. In the Carolinas mill towns, where sites have carried industrial use for a century, findings are not unusual and are usually manageable, but they take time and they give a buyer leverage if they arrive late. Ordering a Phase I before going to market puts the seller in control of the finding and the remedy discussion. Where a plant holds air or wastewater permits, those follow the facility rather than the owner, and the buyer will verify the permit, its limits, and its compliance history.