What are the health risks related to Superfund sites?
Superfund sites, by definition, contain toxic and poisonous substances. There are hundreds of contaminants at Superfund sites that can make a person sick, including known carcinogens and neurotoxins. At least 288 of these sites pose an even greater potential to harm people because “human exposure” or contaminated “groundwater migration” is not under control. The Center found that 20 percent of Americans live within 10 miles of these uncontrolled Superfund sites. Human exposure is considered by the EPA “not under control” if contaminants are determined to be unsafe, uncontained and could reach and harm people. As of April 2007, there were 114 Superfund sites where human exposure to contaminants is not under control, according to the EPA. Contaminated groundwater migration is not under control if the EPA determines through ongoing monitoring that the “contaminant plume” is expanding or reaching surface waters. As of April 2007, there were 224 Superfund sites where groundwater migration i
