r/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
Publication 9200.5-008E
November 1990
Progress in Cleanup:
FY1980-FY1990
S upcrfund is the Federal program for protecting human health and the environment from abandoned or
uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Since the program's inception 10 years ago, more than 1,200 sites
have been placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) for long-term cleanup. In addition, EPA, the
States, and local government have responded to emergencies at almost 2,000 sites that posed acute,
short-term public health or environmental threats. All NPL sites have been assessed to ensure that any
acute threats they may pose are controlled promptly. When short-term emergency responses and long-
term remedial actions are considered together, cleanup construction has begun at nearly half the NPL
sites.
The first several years of the Superfund program were building years in which numerous emergency
actions were taken and NPL sites were studied. Since Congressional reauthorization of the program in
1986, Superfund's pace in making hazardous waste sites safer and cleaner has increased dramatically.
The graphs in this fact sheet illustrate the trends in Superfund activities during the 1980s.
Emergency Responses
Hazardous waste emergencies
often are dealt with by a
"removal action". Such
emergencies can range from
accidental spills to serious
public health or environmental
threats posed by long-standing
hazardous waste problems.
The typical response is to
remove the contaminants from
the area for treatment or
disposal in a safe, approved
manner. Emergency actions
reduce or eliminate immediate
threats from contamination of
the air, soil, and water; they
also may reduce the cost of
long-term cleanup (if required) by controlling the migration of contaminants. EPA's removal of
contaminated soil from Times Beach, MO, is an example of an emergency removal. Graph 1 presents
the trend in emergency removals during the program's first 10 years.
Long-Term Cleanups
EPA calls long-term cleanups "remedial actions." The Superfund remedial process is designed to
correct the worst problems at the worst sites first. Remediation begins with an investigation of each
site to determine the nature and extent of its contamination. Possible remedies also are evaluated. By
the end of FY 1990, such studies had begun at 90 percent of NPL sites. Graph 2 shows the annual
trend in Superfund site investigations over the last decade.
After the site investigation is completed and possible remedies are evaluated, EPA will select the most
suitable remedy. Among the remedies employed at Superfund sites nationwide are incineration of
lazardous wastes and chemical treatment of groundwater. Once a remedial technique has been
selected for a site, the project is designed and then implemented.
1. EMERGENCY RESPONSES
«
i
8
g. ,.„.
c
re--.
E KJ
LJJ
s «.
3 2"" •
'8
__^,
'^
/
x
x^
0 W *2 '83 W « »
Fiscal Year
/
/
/
, /
7
/
/
i '67 '8« '89 W
-------
1400
w
Q
•s
te « •
0>
_a
3 31 .
J2
O
•a
D 't
^^^^^mmm
1 '8.
:
.
»• —
! '8.
^-^
9 w
Fi
. .
•8!
scalY
X
> '81
ear
•
X
'8
,
/
r •«
/
/
'8t
/
~
-
Site cleanup remedies have been selected for almost half the sites on the NPL. Remedial projects are being designed for close to one-
third of NPL sites, and long-term construction has begun at one-quarter of NPL sites. Graphs 3 to 5 show the annual trends in these
activities during the decade of the '80s.
Program Successes
Between 1980 and 1989, measurable environmental improvements were achieved at 422 NPL sites. At 256 of these sites, acute threats to
human health and the environment were reduced and the sites made safe. At 318 of these 422 NPL sites, permanent progress has been
made toward achieving long-term health and environmental goals. (The numbers quoted add to more than 422 sites because actions in
the first category—reducing acute threats—also help achieve health and environmental goals.)
After several years of program building, Superfund began to show real progress in meeting its goal of protecting human health and the
environment from hazardous substances in the last half of the 1980s. EPA will continue to measure environmental progress at all NPL
sites every year.
4. REMEDY DESIGN STARTS
fi — ,
A
"S «;.
3 3"" .
z
1
en 2"*1' •
J2 ivv
3
'(
^^^^^^_
0 '(
^^^=
i 'a
— . —
! '(
'-
3 'B
Fis
4 'i
;cal Yi
5 '8
sar
/
i •!
/
7 '1
/
/
8 '8
/
'
) 1
0
er of Starts
ft IT ft in
; c; < J <; •
JD *"v
3
§
"5
P
O
1
SUPERFUND CLEANUP CONSTRUCTION
STARTS
> •(
i •&
>. '8
1 •&
Fi
4 '&
scalY
^
i 'B
ear
/
'
i '«
/
7 '8
j
/
/
\ 'B
/
/
1 1
------- |