Program Accomplishments
Since 1980, EPA has developed and managed a system of federal, state, and local responders that fields 12 reports of hazardous substances releases each day from all over the country. In the course of responding to a multitude of diverse threats, the Superfund Emergency Response program has:
-
Protected more than 49 million people around the
country from the health hazards stemming from
hazardous substance releases.
-
Provided over 200,000 people, about the population
of a city the size of Hartford, Connecticut, with a
safe supply of drinking water (either bottled water
or hook-up to safe local water systems) when their
drinking water became contaminated.
-
Moved over 40,000 people from the vicinity of very
dangerous sites and gave them temporary housing.
Most of these people were able to return home as
soon as EPA made the site safe, but when
necessary, the emergency response program will
permanently relocate people.
-
Contained or treated massive amounts of hazardous
wastes to make sites safe:
-
Over 10 million cubic yards of contaminated
soil and debris, enough to cover almost
6,300 acres of land a foot deep.
-
1,569 million gallons of contaminated
liquids, over 110 gallons for every person in
Texas.
- 288 million gallons of polluted water, more than three times the daily water use in Vermont.
-
Over 10 million cubic yards of contaminated
soil and debris, enough to cover almost
6,300 acres of land a foot deep.