What Are the Effects of Hazardous Waste Sites?

Hazardous waste sites are located all over the United States and have been given the name "Superfund sites" by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They contain virtually everything we throw away. The Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 was implemented due to the detection of hazardous waste sites like Love Canal in New York and Times Beach in Missouri. This act enforces the cleanup process. Hazardous waste sites not only affect the environment but also create dangerous health effects for humans and animals. The most common contaminants in these sites are asbestos, lead and mercury, which are released through the ground, air and water.

Human Health Effects

• One of the most serious hazards of Superfund sites is risk to human health. Lead is a toxic metal commonly found in paint or industrial processes. Some early symptoms of lead poisoning are loss of appetite, persistent fatigue, stomach pain or constipation and insomnia. For children, lead can cause long-term effects like brain damage, mental retardation, hearing loss, liver and kidney damage and death (in extreme cases). For adults, some permanent effects are reproductive problems, retarded fetal development, nerve damage, hearing and vision impairment and poor muscle coordination. Mercury poisoning produces health issues, including impaired neurological development, birth defects, impairment of vision/hearing/speech and muscle weakness, which can affect walking. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral but is often used in the manufacturing or automotive industry. When materials from these industries are discarded, they end up in Superfund sites. Exposure to asbestos can cause asbestosis (scarring of the lungs), thickening or hardening of the pleura (the lining covering the chest cavity and lungs), lung cancer or mesothelioma (rare cancer with symptoms of persistent shortness of breath, chest pain and unexplained weight loss).

Ecological Effects

• There are many ecological effects associated with contaminants found at Superfund sites. According to the EPA, sediment contaminants are responsible for damaging several bodies of water, which is a factor in the 4,249 advisories in the 2009 National List of Fish Advisories regarding fish consumption and fish depletion across the country. Fish advisories are issued by state, tribal and local governments when they are monitoring their waters and discover unsafe contaminant levels, making the fish within these waters unsuitable for consumption. Chemicals in Superfund sites also contaminate soil and groundwater, threatening not only human health but also land use. These sites eliminate animal and plant habitats, which decreases the number of species in the area.

Financial Effects

• Superfund sites lower property values in their locations and are very expensive and time-consuming to clean up. In 2009, the EPA had completed clean-up projects on 1,080 sites and started 316 new ones by the end of the year, totaling $1.1 billion. The EPA also conducts the initial assessments, restoration and five-year reviews of these sites, all of which cost money but are necessary to the cleaning of these hazardous waste sites.