A Superfund site is defined as any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified these sites as candidates for cleanup because they poses a risk to human health or the environment. Once a site is selected as a candidate, they are placed on a list called the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is used to prioritize the release or threatened releases of hazardous wastes in the United States. The EPA uses the NPL to help determine if investigations are needed for certain sites depending on their status. There are four statuses that a site can be considered, they are proposed, withdrawn, final, and deleted. Proposed means that a site is a potential candidate for cleanup because is poses a potential health risk to humans or the environment
…show more content…
One of the most famous ones is located in Havertown. This town is located in Delaware County, which is right outside of Philadelphia. The National Wood Preservers, which was in operation from 1947-1991, caused the contamination. The Nation Wood Preservers was a facility that dealt with wood treatment using a large quantity of chemicals. There were about 9 different chemicals that were mixed with diesel fuel for the treatment of wood. These chemicals included pentachlorophenol (PCP), Chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals. Instead of disposing the waste the correct way, the company reportedly dumped the waste into a well. That well led to underground water underneath the facility. The underground water led to a stream which empties into the Delaware River. There are about 26,000 people that lived within a 1 mile radius from the Superfund site. However, none of the residents in that area used the stream as a source of drinking water. It was approximated that 1 million gallons of wood preservatives were dumped down the
One of the most famous ones is located in Havertown. This town is located in Delaware County, which is right outside of Philadelphia. The National Wood Preservers, which was in operation from 1947-1991, caused the contamination. The Nation Wood Preservers was a facility that dealt with wood treatment using a large quantity of chemicals. There were about 9 different chemicals that were mixed with diesel fuel for the treatment of wood. These chemicals included pentachlorophenol (PCP), Chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals. Instead of disposing the waste the correct way, the company reportedly dumped the waste into a well. That well led to underground water underneath the facility. The underground water led to a stream which empties into the Delaware River. There are about 26,000 people that lived within a 1 mile radius from the Superfund site. However, none of the residents in that area used the stream as a source of drinking water. It was approximated that 1 million gallons of wood preservatives were dumped down the