The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added the Brillo Landfill Site in Cayuga County, New York to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). Keeping in mind the threats of contamination the site poses, the move is aimed toward protecting the nearby communities from human health hazards and environmental pollution.
Alongside the Brillo Landfill, the EPA has also added four other sites that pose human health hazards and ecological concerns to the nearby regions. EPA has collaborated with Mexico and Canada to work on eco-friendly projects for the three nations. The environmental partnership between the USA and Canada is among the oldest in the world. You can keep following our site for the latest news and similar updates on various topics, including sports and entertainment. The articles compare online casinos and list down the best ones that suit Canadian players.
EPA and NPL: Resetting Contaminated Landscapes
The Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) deals with the worst scenarios of land and water contamination cases in the country. Superfund clean-ups and other enforcement actions work on the basis of the list, following propositions by the EPA. The entire process is a step-by-step ladder system.
Scientific studies on the risks posed by a contaminated site to the people and the environment are undertaken before such propositions. EPA also checks whether the site meets all the federal requirements. Following the public commitment period of 60 days in the federal register, the site gets added to the NPL if it continues to meet all the requirements.
Superfund clean-ups not only include restoring contaminated landscapes but also aim at improving the overall health and economy of the communities surrounding such regions. It has been observed that the clean-ups have been successful in reducing birth defects and blood lead levels of newborns living in the regions. The values of residential properties, situated within three miles of such regions, also went up by 24% following such clean-ups. The areas, in general, are being able to make use of their discarded buildings and spaces for business activities, warehouses, office works, public parks, and social power generation.
Financial Investments
President Joe Biden has also stepped in to create a more effective clean-up with his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. An amount of $3.5 billion has been invested in NPL. This will restart the clean-up of 49 sites across the country that need funding to go forward. With funds now available to the NPL, effective clean-ups will not only create a sustainable ecosystem but also boost the overall economic growth of those areas.
The Necessity of an Urgent Clean-Up
The Brillo Landfill, which has been closed, is jam-packed with hazardous waste materials that include industrial and sanitary waste, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals like lead and mercury, and other contaminants like paint sludge. A survey by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has found similar contamination in the nearby wetlands of Little Sodus Creek. As a result, urgent restoration of the site has become pivotal in restricting the spread of the pollutants. A long-term cleaning program has become imperative to reverse groundwater pollution. Over 30 thousand liters of liquid waste and 70 thousand kg of solid waste have already been removed but there is still a lot of work to be done.
What Lies Ahead in the Future?
The Brillo Landfill and the nearby regions have been fighting against legacy pollution for quite a long time. Regional administrator Lisa F. Garcia is optimistic about the future of the region after the addition of the landfill to the NPL. The locals are also glad to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law paying off. The officials are expected to utilize the financial resources in a smart way to rejuvenate the area. Once the landfill is effectively dealt with, we can expect a positive outcome regarding the health and the economy of the communities nearby.