Hazardous Waste Sites

There are more than 1,300 hazardous waste sites in the United States.

ERP leads the Research Translation Core of the UNC Superfund Research Program. We share information about the impact of hazardous chemicals on human health and the environment and introduce cutting-edge science to decision-makers, communities, and classrooms.

Our goal is to enable government officials and the public to make informed decisions about ways to avoid potential exposures and reduce risks.

Through the Research Translation Core, the UNC SRP also:

• Connects impacted communities to information and resources,
• Trains new scientists and engineers in interdisciplinary research and science communication, and
• Develops decision-making support tools.

The UNC SRP is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (#P42ES005948).

Superfund

Hazardous waste sites are sites that contain substances that are harmful to human health and the environment.

In 1980, the federal government enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, to help pay for the cleanup of hazardous sites.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response oversees the federal Superfund program and is also responsible for maintaining the National Priorities List (NPL).

The NPL is intended to help the US EPA determine which sites warrant further investigation and identify the best options for cleanup.  Many states also maintain registries of hazardous sites that are not part of the federal Superfund program.

Superfund in NC

There are 42 National Priorities List (NPL) sites in North Carolina.

There are also more than 1,900 inactive hazardous waste sites identified by the State of North Carolina (Superfund Section, Division of Waste Management, NC DEQ) that are not included on the federal registry and are not currently addressed by other programs