National priority list waste sites, cleanup

In 1980, CERCLA put aside 1.6 billion in a trust fund that was to be used to fund cleanup efforts for the nation s highest risk hazardous waste sites. CERCLA established the means by which the highest risk sites were identified and ranked on a national priorities list (NPL) for cleanup. 

The EPA Hazardous Ranking System computes a numerical score for hazardous waste. If the score exceeds a predetermined value, the waste site is placed on the National Priority List (NPL) for Superfund cleanup. Discuss the pros and cons of such a ranking system. Describe a possible situation in which an air contaminant is controlled but the control system used transfers the contaminant problem to another medium, such as water or soil. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies the most serious hazardous waste sites in the nation. These sites make up the National Priorities List (NPL) and are the sites targeted for long-term federal cleanup activities. Methyl parathion has been found in at least 16 of the 1,585 current or former NPL sites. However, the total number of NPL sites evaluated for this substance is not known. As more sites are evaluated, the sites at which methyl parathion is found may increase. This information is important because exposure to this substance may harm you and because these sites may be sources of exposure. 

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Commonly known as Superfund, the program under this law is focused on the remediation of abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Since 1980, Superfund has assessed nearly 44,400 sites. To date, 33,100 sites have been removed from the Superfund inventory to aid their economic redevelopment, and 11,300 sites remain active with the site assessment program or are included in the National Priorities List (NPL) for the implementation of remedial actions. By September 2000, 1509 sites were included in the NPL with ongoing or completed cleanup activities. 

This Statement was prepared to give you information about heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide and to emphasize the human health effects that may result from exposure to them. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 1,300 hazardous waste sites as the most serious in the nation. These sites comprise the "National Priorities List (NPL) Those sites which are targeted for long-term federal cleanup activities. Heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide have been found in at least 129 and 87 of these sites, respectively. However, we do not know how many of the 1,300 NPL sites have been evaluated for heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide. As EPA evaluates more sites, the number of sites at which heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide are found may change. This information is important for you to know because heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide may cause harmful health effects and because these sites are potential or actual sources of human exposure to heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide. 

The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 established a 9 billion, five-year fund to pay for continued cleanup of 375 hazardous waste sites. Over 30,000 sites have been inventoried, over 1,100 are on the National Priority List for cleanup, hundreds have had short-term cleanups, but only a small number have had complete cleanups. 

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This is an attempt to deal with the many waste sites that exist across the nation. It covers remedial action, including the establishment of a National Priorities List to identify those sites that should have a high priority for remediation. This act authorizes the cleanup of hazardous waste sites, including those containing pesticides, that threaten human health or the environment. If they can be identified, the US EPA is authorized to recover cleanup costs from those parties responsible for the contamination. CERCLA provides a fund to pay for the cleanup of contaminated sites when no other parties are able to conduct the cleanup. The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) (1986) is an amendment to CERCLA that enables the US EPA to identify and cleanup inactive hazardous waste sites and to recover reimbursement of cleanup costs. One section of CERCLA authorizes the EPA to act whenever there is a release or substantial threat of release of a hazardous substance or any pollutant or contaminant that may present an imminent or substantial danger to the public health or welfare into the environment. 

Contains information on each hazardous waste disposal or spill site nominated or selected for the EPA National Priorities List for cleanup under Superfund (CERCLA) or SARA amendments. Over 44 000 to date. (CIS, WESTLAW)... 

Identify the steps for cleanup of a hazardous waste site once it has been put on the national priorities list. 

The Superfund law made cleanup the responsibility of anyone who had dumped toxic wastes, even if the disposal had occurred decades earlier. The federal government prepared a National Priority List that catalogued the worst sites and set up an enforcement program to ensure that sites on the list were taken care of. When no one could be found to pay for the remedy, the government used a pool of money—the Superfund—collected from a new tax on oil and chemical companies.43... 

Stress reactions to occupational and community chemical exposures occur in both acute and chronic forms. Much of the literature pertaining to community reactions to chronic chemical exposures involves hazardous waste sites. By 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified 29,300 sites needing cleanup. The EPA listed 950 of them on the National Priorities List, also known as the Superfund sites [Health Aspects of the Disposal of Waste Chemicals 1986 Upton et al. 1989). Several sources review the medical and environmental aspects of hazardous waste sites (Andelman and Underhill 1987 Committee on Environmental Epidemiology 1991 Epstein et al. 1982 Health Aspects of the Disposal of Waste Chemicals 1986 Petts 1994 Weisaeth 1984). The most common chemicals in these sites include trichloroethylene, lead, toluene, benzene, chloroform, polychlorinated biphenyls, and miscellaneous solvents (Upton et al. 1989). 

Find out if there are any hazardous waste sites in your area. Determine if any are on the Superfund National Priority List for cleanup or have been cleaned up. 

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