Introduction
Hello environmental enthusiasts! My name is Cody McAleer. I am currently a student residing at Stockton University, who is graduating in May, 2017. My major is Sustainability conservation, mixed with courses pertaining towards environmental remediation. The purpose of this site is to share the overall basics of CERCLA. Two case studies pertaining superfund sites are also within the site as an example of CERCLA’s purpose. I’d like to thank Professor Tait Chirenje and Joseph Lisa for their time and dedication towards my education. (ENVL-3242 & ENVL-4446).
Summary
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, gives the President authorization to act against threatening releases of hazardous material into the environment. CERCLA authorizes the Recovery Act to regulate hazardous waste handling and disposal. CERCLA was enacted by Congress on December 11, 1980. This law created a tax on different petroleum and chemical industries while providing authority to respond to threatening releases of hazardous materials that may endanger public health and the environment.
CERCLA History Timeline (1976-1983) |
- Below is a timeline that will take you through implemented laws and changes in environmental protection through the EPA and CERCLA.
- Press "play" on the upper right corner of the picture for the slide show to begin.
Trust FundBackground Debates
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Liability
- What is CERCLA reliability?
First, the idea of liability only comes into play when a contaminant is identified onsite, and is spread to the extent of environmental destruction or human health endangerment. A potentially responsible party are the people or person that is responsible for the contamination that was found onsite at a piece of property. A potentially responsible party (PRP) is a polluter who can possibly be held responsible for the contamination of a site. PRP’s can range into different area, such as current owners of a facility or a party that arranged a transport or disposal of a hazardous substances. Depending on the situation, time frame, and how the pollution was disposed will determine who the PRP is. PRP’s are held liable and will report to CERCLA for further cleanup actions that are needed. These parties can be liable for remediation actions, costs for human health assessments, and environmental degradation costs. Liability and costs depend on the severity of the contamination that was poorly disposed, the migration of the pollutants into further distances, and the party’s ability to even pay for the remedial or cleanup actions.
Remediation
There are short-term and long-term actions after the investigation of a piece of property, and finding out who is liable due to being a PRP. The short-term actions are also known as removal actions. This short-term action is an immediate need to stabilize or excavate a threat that was posed by a hazardous waste. The long-term actions are also known as remedial actions. Remedial actions are used to reduce the risk to public health. Long-term remediation reduces toxic waste with further analytical evaluation to assure the public and environments safety.
The downloadable file below gives further detail towards the basics of CERCLA, and how it is operated towards environmental cleanup.
Breakdown of CERCLA | |
File Size: | 433 kb |
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CERCLA Videos
1997 - Superfund
This video is Sponsored through the EPA to give residents an understanding of CERCLA. The objective of this video, is to explain how toxic chemical can cause harm to people's health and the environment; While explaining the efficient clean up process that the EPA performs at superfund sites.
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1978 - Love Canal, NY
The video above is a case study on Love Canal, NY. This video goes back to the previous timeline, explaining the cause of contamination. The people within the area began to be sick, and had a difficult time finding solutions.
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The Simpsons: (Season 4, Episode 12)
To lighten the mood, here is a short clip of Mr. Burns from the Simpsons He is hiding toxic waste drums in public areas, and then is caught by the EPA. This cartoon's humor shows how industries try to hide their waste, and the effects that it can have on the environment's health.
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