A cleanup site is a place where a toxic substance is harming or threatening humans or the environment .
How does a Superfund site get cleaned up?
Once cleanup goals have been achieved and sites are fully protective of human health and the environment, EPA deletes them from the NPL . ... Consideration of reuse at a site can occur at any point in the Superfund cleanup process, from site investigation activities to deletion from the NPL.
What is a cleanup site?
Cleanup sites are places that are contaminated with harmful chemicals and need to be cleaned up by the property owners or government . People living near these sites are more likely to be exposed to chemicals from the sites than people living further away.
What is EPA cleanup?
EPA and its state and territorial partners have developed a variety of cleanup programs to assess and, where necessary, clean up these contaminated sites . Cleanups may be done by EPA, other federal agencies, states or municipalities, or the company or party responsible for the contamination.
Why are they called Superfunds?
Superfund is the common name given to the law called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 , or CERCLA. Superfund is also the trust fund set up by Congress to handle emergency and hazardous waste sites needing long-term cleanup.
Who pays for environmental cleanup?
By law, the parties responsible for the use, transportation, storage, and disposal of hazardous substances and oil are liable for costs. This liability applies to the cost of containment, cleanup, and damages resulting from a release related to their own activities.
How are brownfields cleaned?
Creating or adding a barrier between the surface and contaminants by using a geotextile, a layer of clean soil or both. Capping protects areas of cleanup, reduces exposures and prevents the spread of contamination. On site or ‘In-situ’ treatment.
How much does it cost to clean up a Superfund site?
The major negatives are the excessive time and cost related to federal Superfund remedial studies and actions. The overall program has emphasized process over cost-effective cleanup activities, with the result that the average site cleanup costs approximately $25 to $30 million .
How long does it take to clean a Superfund site?
For planning its Superfund activities, EPA set an expectation for 1993 that sites would be cleaned up within 5 years of being listed. EPA officials said that they have not formally revised the expectation, but now believe that sites will be cleaned up within 7 or 8 years of their listing.
How many sites has Superfund cleaned up?
As of June 12, 2019, there were 1344 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List in the United States. Forty-eight additional sites have been proposed for entry on the list. As of June 12, 2019, 413 sites have been cleaned up and removed from the list.
Where does Superfund waste go?
It’s up to companies responsible for cleaning the sites to vet the facilities where they send waste . The result is that waste is routinely shipped and treated at plants with well-documented histories of environmental violations.
Who funds the Superfund cleanup program?
The Superfund law requires States to contribute at least 10 percent of EPA’s costs of cleaning up NPL sites within their borders. Federal agencies pay for cleanups of Federal hazardous wastes, such as military bases or weapons plants, out of their own budgets.
What is the largest Superfund site in the US?
The 586 square mile Hanford Site is home to one of the largest Superfund cleanups in the nation.
Is it safe to live near a Superfund site?
Children that live near superfund sites are more prone to childhood cancer as well as birth defects, decreased cognitive functioning, and various behavioral problems. ... Data, which looked at thousands of people in the Texas area, showed that living near a superfund site can lower life expectancy by at least .
Is waste a toxic?
Toxic waste, chemical waste material capable of causing death or injury to life . Waste containing dangerous pathogens, such as used syringes, is sometimes considered to be toxic waste. ... Poisoning occurs when toxic waste is ingested, inhaled, or absorbed by the skin.
Why are Superfund sites bad?
In addition to increased levels of childhood cancer and birth defects, exposure to hazardous substances released from Superfund sites has been correlated with higher rates of suspension from school and repeating grade levels , lower standardized test scores, and decreased cognitive functioning.
