CERCLA clean-up process
The Superfund law authorizes two response actions, remediation and removal. Short-term removals are actions meant to deal with environmental emergencies, taken to address releases or threatened releases that require prompt response. Long-term remedial response actions can only be performed on sites that qualify to be on the National Priorities List (NPL). Remedial actions work to permanently eliminate dangers from the realease or threats of release of hazardous substances. Below is an outline of the multi-phase Superfund cleanup process.
Preliminary Site Assessment/Site Investigation
The preliminary assessment consists of gathering all available information about site conditions to evaluate if the site poses a threat to human health and the environment and if further investigation is needed.
The preliminary assessment consists of gathering all available information about site conditions to evaluate if the site poses a threat to human health and the environment and if further investigation is needed.
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National Priorities List (NPL) Site Listing Process
This is a list of the most serious sites that are identified for long-term cleanup. The ranking of sites on this list are largely based on information from the Hazard Ranking System.
This is a list of the most serious sites that are identified for long-term cleanup. The ranking of sites on this list are largely based on information from the Hazard Ranking System.
Remedial Investigation or Site Characterization
This process determines the nature and extent of site contamination, which techonologies are capable of treating the sire and provides an evaluation of the cost and performance of technologies that could be used to clean-up the site.
This process determines the nature and extent of site contamination, which techonologies are capable of treating the sire and provides an evaluation of the cost and performance of technologies that could be used to clean-up the site.
Records of Decision
The Record of Decision (ROD) is an explaination of the techniques chosen to clean up the site. The ROD contains information on the site and it's contamination, considers the sites future use and is issued in a public notice for the public to make comments and propose changes.
The Record of Decision (ROD) is an explaination of the techniques chosen to clean up the site. The ROD contains information on the site and it's contamination, considers the sites future use and is issued in a public notice for the public to make comments and propose changes.
Remedial Design/Remedial Action
In this stage detailed cleanup plans are developed and implemented. Specifically, remedial design develops engineering drawings and specifications for the sites cleanup. While, remedial action involves construction or implementation of cleaning up the site.
In this stage detailed cleanup plans are developed and implemented. Specifically, remedial design develops engineering drawings and specifications for the sites cleanup. While, remedial action involves construction or implementation of cleaning up the site.
Construction Completion
This phase is a cleanup milestone for National Priority List sites, occurs when any physical construction has been completed.
This phase is a cleanup milestone for National Priority List sites, occurs when any physical construction has been completed.
Post Construction Completion
Ensures that the Superfund cleanups ensure that human health and the environment are being protected. Activities include operating and maintaining long-term cleanup technologies, reviewing the site to ensure continued effectivness and enforcing restrictions to minimize potential for human exposure to contamination.
Ensures that the Superfund cleanups ensure that human health and the environment are being protected. Activities include operating and maintaining long-term cleanup technologies, reviewing the site to ensure continued effectivness and enforcing restrictions to minimize potential for human exposure to contamination.
National Priorities List Deletion
After cleanup goals are acheived and the sites are protective of human health and the environment, the site will be deleted from the National Priorities List.
After cleanup goals are acheived and the sites are protective of human health and the environment, the site will be deleted from the National Priorities List.
Site Reuse/Redevelopment
The goal of the EPA is to make sure the cleanup of the site is consistent with the likely future usage of the site. Reuse at a site can be considered at any point of the process and the EPA works with communities to make sure that sites are used safely.
The goal of the EPA is to make sure the cleanup of the site is consistent with the likely future usage of the site. Reuse at a site can be considered at any point of the process and the EPA works with communities to make sure that sites are used safely.