Superfund sites are areas of land that have been contaminated by hazardous substances and identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a candidate for cleanup because it poses a risk to human health or the environment.
The Superfund program was created in 1980 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to find, investigate, and clean up the most dangerous hazardous waste sites in the country.
Think of it like an emergency cleanup crew for the worst messes such as abandoned factories, mining waste piles, toxic dumps, or land where chemicals have leaked into the soil and water. These aren’t just “dirty” places, they can contain harmful substances like lead, arsenic, asbestos, or industrial chemicals that can make people sick.
How Does a Site Become a Superfund Site?
- Discovery: Contamination is reported, often by residents, local officials, or environmental testing.
- Investigation: The EPA investigates to see how dangerous it is.
- Listing: If it’s serious, the site goes on the National Priorities List (NPL), which is basically a “to-do list” and guides the EPA in deciding which sites need the most urgent cleanup.
- Cleanup: This can take years, sometimes decades, and may involve removing contaminated soil, treating water, sealing off dangerous areas, or other specialized methods.
- Monitoring: Even after cleanup, the EPA checks back to make sure the site stays safe.
Why Should You Care
Your Health – Living near a contaminated site can increase risks for cancer, developmental delays in children, respiratory problems, and other health issues.
Your Water – Many Superfund sites contaminate groundwater, which can affect private wells and even public drinking water.
Your Property – Pollution can lower property values, and cleanup projects can shape future development in your community.
We live IN a Superfund Site.
Oronogo–Duenweg Mining Belt
The Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt is an approximately 7000 acres area in Jasper County, Missouri, that was once one of the largest lead and zinc mining districts in the world. Mining began in the mid-1800s and boomed through the early 20th century. By the time mining operations wound down in the 1960s, the area was littered with massive piles of mine waste, locally called chat piles, as well as open mine shafts, tailings ponds, and contaminated soil.
Why It Became a Superfund Site
When mining companies left, they left behind millions of tons of waste rock containing high levels of lead, zinc, and cadmium. Over time, wind and rain spread this contamination into yards, school playgrounds, and waterways like Center Creek and Spring River.
- Lead is a powerful neurotoxin, especially dangerous for children, affecting brain development, learning, and behavior.
- Cadmium can cause kidney damage and other long-term health effects.
- Zinc at high levels can harm aquatic life.
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, soil testing showed widespread contamination in residential areas. Many children living here had elevated blood lead levels, prompting federal action.
In 1990, the Oronogo–Duenweg Mining Belt was added to the EPA’s National Priorities List (Superfund list).
Source: EPA Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt Profile
You can search the EPA’s National Priorities List here:
https://www.epa.gov/superfund/search-superfund-sites-where-you-live
Superfund sites are more than a chapter in our history, they’re an ongoing responsibility. By understanding their risks, knowing our local story, and staying involved in cleanup and monitoring efforts, we can help ensure that the land, air, and water we pass down to future generations are safe, healthy, and free from the toxic legacy of the past.