Why are Superfund sites a problem?
Why are Superfund sites a problem?
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.
Does the Superfund still exist?
There are 40,000 federal Superfund sites across the country, and approximately 1,600 of those sites have been listed on the National Priorities List (NPL). Despite its name, the program has suffered from under-funding, and Superfund NPL cleanups have decreased to a mere 8 in 2014, out of over 1,200.
Where is the biggest Superfund site?
The 586 square mile Hanford Site is home to one of the largest Superfund cleanups in the nation.
How does Superfund affect the environment?
In addition to protecting public health and restoring the environment, Superfund cleanups support positive economic and social outcomes in communities. Many sites – often vacant and underused areas – can be reused and become valuable local assets. The cleanups also deter blight, vandalism and trespassing.
Is it bad 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 Superfund effective?
The Superfund program makes a visible and lasting difference in communities cleaning up the nation’s worst hazardous waste sites, tackling threats to public health and our natural environment, supporting local economies and enhancing quality of life, preventing future releases of hazardous substances, and leading to …
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.
Are there any problems with the Superfund program?
The strongest complaints about Superfund have been that few sites have been cleaned up, too much is spent on lawyers and administrative costs, and cleanups are too costly. These are legitimate complaints, but problems of this sort with government programs are not unusual.
How many Superfund sites are there in the US?
From 1985 to 1986, photographer David T. Hanson traveled to 45 U.S. states making aerial photos of Superfund sites, areas of land that have been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as hazardous to human health and/or the environment.
What was the name of the law that created the Superfund?
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.
How much money has been spent on Superfund cleanups?
At the end of 1995, 91 sites had been cleaned up, but 1,374 sites remained. (4) Since 1980, the EPA has spent $14.9 billion on the program. And the EPA says that private companies are now spending an additional $1.3 to $1.4 billion per year on Superfund cleanups.