Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Superfund site?
Superfund sites are locations identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that have been contaminated by hazardous waste and threaten public health. Due to improper processing of toxic waste, superfunds occur near landfills, mines, manufacturing facilities, and processing plants.The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) allows EPA to organize cleanups and holds the polluters accountable.
What is environmental remediation?
The process of removing or treating contaminants in the soil or water to protect ecosystems and human health.
Who is affected by hazardous waste sites?
Everyone can be affected by pollutants especially if they contaminant the air or water. People of color and low-income communities are disproportionately affected by hazardous waste sites.
How can I help?
Spread awareness and reach out to government officials and the EPA to expedite remediation processes!
Cabot-Koppers Superfund FAQs
What is the Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site?
The Cabot Koppers site is located in Gainesville, FL, one mile east of US highway 441. It is near the Stephen Foster Community and is surrounded by commercial and residential urban properties.
The superfund is made up of two sites: the Cabot Carbon area and the Koppers area. Cabot Carbon operated charcoal and pine tar plants and Koppers operated wood processing plants. Activity in the area began in the early 1900s with Koppers ending operations in 2010. In 1983, the EPA recognized it as a superfund site after toxic environmental pollutants contaminated the soil and underground aquifer.
What is the status of cleanup?
The Cabot area completed remedial efforts in 2020 and samples of air quality report concentrations of toxins as below 50% action level. Despite remediation completion being scheduled for 2020, the Koppers area is still stalled due to a disagreement between Beazer East Inc., the current owner of Koppers area, and the Florida Department of Transportation. They have been unable to agree on the relocation of a drainage ditch that empties into Springstead Creek.
The latest data from 2020 indicates various toxins at levels exceeding federal regulations at the Upper Hawthorn Group Aquifer and Lower Hawthorn Group Aquifer.
Toxins at excessive levels include: benzene (VOC), Biphenyl, Carbazole, Methylnaphthalene, Naphthalene, Nitrobenzene, Arsenic, 4-Dimethylphenyl.
What are the health hazards?
Benzene, naphthalene, and arsenic are known carcinogens meaning they cause cancer. Other chemicals may lead to reproductive health issues and birth defects that can appear generations later.