What is a Superfund?

The EPA has two designations when it comes to contaminated sites: “brownfield” and “superfund.” A brownfield is an abandoned or underused site that has contamination, though usually it’s not particularly threatening to life. Think of derelict office buildings, or Northville Downs-- these places, while difficult to clean, can be remediated, and are usually assisted by the state or tribal government.

?

A superfund site, on the other hand, is an uncontrolled site that is contaminated and/or has hazardous waste. The EPA conducts site inspections to determine if the site is hazardous enough to qualify for the superfund designation, and the federal government is usually involved in cleanup efforts.

Think of superfund sites as escalated brownfields—they have super high concentrations of contaminants and/or pose a serious threat to humans and animals. Abandoned landfills and chemical treatment plants are the most common culprits, but even rivers and lakes can be deemed superfunds!

?

Superfund, or Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), was established by Congress in 1980 after dumps received national attention for contamination; this establishes the authority of the EPA to clean up these toxic sites. This act also enacted prohibitions and requirements for the sites, and created a trust fund to assist with cleanup if needed.

After a site is determined to be a superfund site, there are three ways to pursue cleanup. One can choose to utilize other federal and state programs to address cleanup, though the most common method is to place sites onto National Priorities List (NPL). The last way to remediate superfunds is by using the Superfund Alternative Approach. This alternative method saves time and resources by not listing these sites on the NPL, though these sites still utilize the same techniques as sites on the NPL.

Superfund sites present extreme danger to human, environmental, and animal health, and the risk is only increasing: floods, especially those caused by stormwater, can compromise sites and track pollutants to surface waters or aquifers. Just living near superfund sites lowers one's life expectancy!

In Michigan, as of 2024, there are currently 64 superfund sites, with 21 other sites having been deleted from the NPL since the inception of the program in 1980. While these sites can only be cleaned by professionals, we can limit the spread of pollutants by working to mitigate stormwater flooding through low-impact development and by preventing pollution at our own sites.