How does a site qualify for the national priority list?
Generally, facilities with overall scores of 28.50 and greater on the HRS are eligible for the NPL. Another way facilities can be included in the NPL is if a state or territory designates one top-priority site within its jurisdiction, regardless of the site’s HRS score.
What is the EPA National Priorities List?
The National Priorities List (NPL) is the list of sites of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories.
How many sites are on the National Priorities List?
The NPL guides the EPA in “determining which sites warrant further investigation” for environmental remediation. As of June 12, 2019, there were 1344 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List in the United States.
What is EPA Superfund sites?
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites include manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining sites.
Is NPL the same as Superfund?
The NPL primarily serves as an information and management tool. It is a part of the Superfund cleanup process. The NPL is updated periodically. The Federal Register Notices for NPL Updates page provides a list of Federal Register Notices for proposed NPL updates and NPL updates.
What does NPL status final mean?
Final NPL Listing – A site that has been proposed to National Priorities List is “final” when it has been formally added to the National Priorities List.
Are PCBs banned in the US?
PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are industrial products or chemicals. PCB chemicals were banned in the U.S. in 1979 because these chemicals harm human and environmental health.
What is an HRS score?
What is the Hazard Ranking System? The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) is a scoring system the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses to evaluate relative risks to human health and the environment posed by uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
What is the most toxic Superfund site?
Using this indicator as a reference, here are the five most toxic Superfund sites:
- McCormick & Baxter Creosoting Co.
- Lipari Landfill.
- Washington County Lead District – Old Mines.
- Washington County Lead District – Richwoods.
- Big River Mine Tailings/St.
Why are they called Superfunds?
The program is designed to investigate and clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances. Sites managed under this program are referred to as “Superfund” sites.
How many EPA Superfund sites are there?
Superfund sites by state The table below summarizes the number of Superfund sites in each state as of January 2016. Among the 50 states, there were 1,303 Superfund sites.
How many contaminated sites are there in the US?
“Most Americans aren’t aware that there are more than 1,300 Superfund sites across the country,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt tells C&EN in a statement.