Review the link from United States Environmental Protection Agency on Cleaning u
ID: 110208 • Letter: R
Question
Review the link from United States Environmental Protection Agency on Cleaning up the Nation's Hazardous Waste. Many commercial buildings, residential housing, and schools have been built over superfund sites and this has resulted in minor to severe health concerns. Write a 1-2 page paper on the following: Define Superfund Sites. Assess the impact of superfund sites where you live. Have humans or wildlife been affected? Debate what the land or water near the superfund sites should be used for. Explain your reasoning. Your work must adhere to APA rules for formatting and citation. Upload and submit your document.Explanation / Answer
Answer:
1. Superfund Sites: Definition: A Superfund site is any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by the EPA as a candidate for cleanup because it poses a risk to human health and/or the environment.
Introduction:
i) Superfund is the common name given to the law called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, or CERCLA.
ii)Superfund is also the trust fund set up by Congress to handle emergency and hazardous waste sites needing long-term cleanup.
iii)Superfund is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Case Study on Superfund Site
Love Canal
In 1892, a businessman named William T. Love proposed a canal to connect parts of the Niagara River in New York state. Love Canal would create a man-made waterfall to provide cheap hydroelectric power. Unfortunately, the canal was never finished, leaving a deep ditch in the land.
In 1920, the land was sold to a company called Hooker Chemical. For the next 33 years, Hooker Chemical dumped 22,000 tons of hazardous waste into the canal. Hooker Chemical’s hazardous waste included byproducts from dyes, perfumes, rubber production, and cleaning fluids. The waste was stored in 55-gallon containers, or drums. The company put an impermeable (waterproof) clay cap on top of the drums. However, there was nothing to prevent the toxic materials at the bottom from leaching (leaking) into nearby waterways and the Niagara River.
In 1953, Hooker Chemical sold Love Canal to the local school board for $1. Part of the sale included the so-called “Hooker clause”: Hooker Chemical would not be responsible if anyone became sick or died because of the waste buried in the canal.
The school board built the 99th Street School on top of the property. During construction of the school in 1955, a clay cap on one of the drums broke. Over the years, residents noticed a foul smell coming from the canal. Children’s shoes melted to the pavement, dogs would burn their noses as they touched the chemicals coming up from the ground, and people started getting sick.
In 1978, Lois Gibbs noticed that her son developed asthma and began to have seizures after attending 99th Street School. Wanting to find out why, she began to research the area and found out about the toxic waste.
Gibbs organized her community and forced the state and federal government to do something about the tons of hazardous waste materials buried in her neighborhood. She and the Love Canal Homeowners Association protested to the city, other residents and the press. Because of the Hooker clause, the chemical company refused to take responsibility. The government did not believe the toxic waste was connected to residents’ health problems.
Eventually, Love Canal became a national issue. Television news covered the protests and showed the black, toxic sludge that oozed into residents’ basements. National leaders took notice. Due to the actions of Gibbs and the Love Canal Homeowners Association, President Jimmy Carter signed the Superfund bill into law on December 11, 1980. Part of the Superfund payment to Love Canal included $20 million to move Love Canal residents into safer neighborhoods.
Debate on use of Land or water of Superfund sites:
1. The land or water shall not be used of Superfund sites as it is contaminated. It will affect health of persons residing nearby or using its water and land. It will result into increase in number of abortion cases, Cancer, Asthama, Respiratory diseases.
2. Superfund sites soil and water is badly polluted with heavy metals so we cant use soil for agriculture and water for domestic purpose.
3. Many Superfund sites are discovered by concerned citizens. If you know of a hazardous-waste site, call the EPA's Superfund hot line 1-800-424-8802. You can also fill out a form online at epa.gov/tips.
4. After Scientific cleaning of Superfund sites, its use can be done for growing Gardens and Lawns.
Related Questions
drjack9650@gmail.com
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.