Discuss the details of a particular Superfund site near your home - Essay Example

Superfund site in Florida First Last number here month day, year Superfund site in Florida Superfund sites are locations where toxic wastes have been dumped; each of these sites is listed in by the Environmental Protection Agency and is to be cleaned up or has been cleaned up. According to the Epa.gov website the Superfund program is, “Superfund is EPAs program to identify, investigate and clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites throughout the United States” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011).

My state of residence is Florida there are several superfund sites in Florida. The specific superfund site we are addressing is located in Miami, Miami-Dade County. The site profile according to epa.gov lists it as having been cleaned up completely, though it continues to operate as an industrial electroplating facility. Airco Plating Company has operated at this location since the 1950’s. According to epa.gov, “The site occupies approximately two acres in a predominately industrial/commercial area.

A trailer park is also located about 300 feet south of the site. The Miami Canal, the only surface water body in the site’s vicinity, is located approximately 2/3 of a mile southwest of the site. Several other Superfund sites are located within a few miles of the APC site” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). This site was slated for cleanup in 1990 and was listed as complete in 1999; the company still operates on the premises at this time. There are reviews being completed again this year as well as in 2006 to determine if the cleanup was fully successful.

Given the close proximity of the industrial park to Miami Canal a major local waterway and residential homes as well as other active commercial areas the need for cleanup was seen as extremely important. According to epa.gov, “The soil and ground water are contaminated with metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The specific contaminants include cadmium, chromium, perchloroethene, cis-1,2 dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). These VOCs posed a long term hazard to the location, they are all chemical byproducts and used in the electroplating process.

The cleanup approach included both soil and groundwater decontamination process’s. The creation of this particular superfund site was not intentional and has been rectified as the last check in 2006 has confirmed. Some of the methods being used according to epa.gov are, “Extraction of VOCs detected above the water table at certain levels using a soil vapor extraction (SVE) treatment system” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). This is an interesting approach that results in much of the waste being collected.

Additional methods are, “Installation of a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) protective cap, or cover, and over cadmium contaminated soils and VOC contaminated soils not addressed by the SVE treatment system. Institutional controls, such as deed restrictions, to protect the remedy and to prevent residential use of the property. Collection and treatment of VOC contaminated ground water by air stripping, a process of forcing air through polluted ground water to remove harmful chemicals.

Discharge of treated ground water to the municipal sewer system” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). While this particular site has been cleaned up and returned to a beneficial state, there are over 100 sites still being worked on that have directly impacted the natural habitats of thousands of creatures as well as the long term survivability of the local ecosystem. Hopefully the positive result of this particular superfund will be seen in others as well. ReferencesU.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Region 4: Superfund, Airco Plating Company.

Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/npl/nplfls/aircopfl.htmU.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Superfund, About Us. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/sf/information/aboutus.htm