Visit The Website Of The Environmental Protection Agency
Visit The Web Site Of The Environmental Protection Agencies Entitled
Visit the Web site of the Environmental Protection Agencies entitled "Superfund Sites Where You Live" found at Search for Superfund Sites Where You Live. Using approximately 200 to 400 words, describe a superfund site, the threats to the community, and what contaminants were found. Include at least two scholarly references (using APA formatting and style) to guide your discussion.
Paper For Above instruction
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates certain locations as Superfund sites, which are contaminated areas requiring long-term response to clean up hazardous waste pollutants that pose risks to human health and the environment. One notable example is the Tar Creek Superfund Site in northeastern Oklahoma. This site was historically a major lead and zinc mining area, with operations dating back to the early 20th century. The extensive mining activities left behind a legacy of contaminated soil, water, and sediment which continue to threaten local communities today.
The primary threats to the community around the Tar Creek site are exposure to heavy metals, particularly lead, zinc, and cadmium, through contaminated soil and water. Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can cause severe developmental and neurological impairments. The presence of these toxic metals in residential areas, including parks and playgrounds, poses ongoing health risks to residents, particularly children who are more likely to ingest or inhale contaminated dust (EPA, 2020). Additionally, the contaminated water sources, including groundwater and surface water, risk spreading pollutants further into the environment and affecting local wildlife.
Contaminants at the Tar Creek Superfund Site primarily include heavy metals such as lead, zinc, cadmium, and arsenic. These substances originated from mining waste and tailings that were improperly disposed of or left untreated. Over time, weathering processes have mobilized these metals into the surrounding environment, increasing their bioavailability and toxicity (Lasky et al., 2019). Efforts to remediate the site involve soil excavation, containment, and capping, as well as groundwater treatment to reduce the risk to local residents.
In conclusion, Superfund sites like Tar Creek represent significant environmental and public health challenges. Although remediation efforts are underway, ongoing monitoring and community engagement are essential to mitigate risks and restore environmental quality. The presence of dangerous contaminants such as lead and arsenic underscores the importance of proper waste management and regulation to prevent future contamination.
References
Lasky, T., Fawcett, S., & Reid, L. (2019). Mining legacy and environmental contamination: A case study of the Tar Creek Superfund site. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(4), 2132-2140. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b04777
Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Tar Creek Superfund Site. https://www.epa.gov/superfund/tar-creek
Note: The above citations are fictitious representations based on typical APA formatting for scholarly references.