What is the Superfund?

The Superfund is part of a law enacted by the US Congress in 1980 which taxes fuel and industries dealing with hazardous chemicals, and empowers the government to act when hazardous waste may be released or has been released into the environment, and needs to be cleaned up. The Superfund tends not to have super funds, as the name implies, for such clean-ups, however. Often money for cleanup for hazardous waste must be taken from other programs, or alternately the company responsible must provide the funds and the labor for a clean-up.

The law establishing the Superfund is the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). CERCLA was enacted in direct response to the disaster at the Love Canal. It does cut through some of the red tape in cleaning up environmentally hazardous spills, because the government is empowered to act immediately, and to be on the premises of any private company.

The initial funds raised for the Superfund were approximately one and a half billion US dollars (USD). Now funds in the Superfund are approximately eight and a half billion USD. These monies remain in a trust fund, so that money can be earned upon them, pending their need in a disastrous release of chemicals. Environmentalists, however, say that the funds are insufficient to deal with large-scale environmental disasters, and that one such disaster would probably completely deplete the funds.

Since the Superfund is relatively poor, the US government often holds companies liable and responsible financially for cleaning up hazardous materials. Non-compliant companies may be assessed heavy fines for delaying cleaning. However, if a company lacks sufficient resources to clean up a spill and declares bankruptcy, it little matters whether the government has ordered the company to clean up or not. At this point, the government must step in and take action so that the environment, and the people and animals living in it are not further exposed to toxic substances.

Ordering clean-ups and maintaining the Superfund is done at the discretion of the Environmental Protection Agency, established in 1970. The Superfund and CERCLA have certainly had some successful cleanups, but environmentalists are still concerned that the US is not prepared for a major chemical disaster such as a nuclear power plant leak, similar to what occurred in Chernobyl, Russia.

The Superfund program, established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, is a federal initiative designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances. It allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify responsible parties and compel them to remediate polluted areas or reimburse the government for cleanup efforts.

Superfund sites are identified through reports from states, businesses, and individuals. The EPA then assesses these sites using the Hazard Ranking System (HRS) to evaluate potential risks to human health and the environment. Sites scoring high enough are placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) for further investigation and cleanup.

Superfund sites often contain a variety of hazardous substances. Common contaminants include heavy metals like lead and mercury, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and asbestos. These pollutants can pose significant risks to human health and ecological systems.

Cleanup funding for Superfund sites traditionally came from a trust fund financed by taxes on crude oil and certain chemicals, as well as a tax on corporations. However, since 1995, the trust fund has been primarily funded through general revenues and recoveries from responsible parties. The EPA seeks to hold polluters accountable for cleanup costs whenever possible.

As of 2023, the Superfund program continues to be a critical component of the EPA's efforts to clean up contaminated land across the United States. The program has completed remediation at over 1,300 sites, with hundreds more in various stages of cleanup. Ongoing challenges include funding constraints and complex contamination scenarios.

The Superfund program has had notable successes in mitigating environmental hazards and protecting public health. According to the EPA, it has made over 70% of Superfund sites available for reuse, and cleanups have significantly reduced the incidence of birth defects and respiratory issues in surrounding communities. The program's effectiveness continues to evolve with advancements in remediation technology and practices.