EPA adds 12 waste sites to Superfund list

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49036643/ns/us_news-environment/

The Environmental Protection Agency added 12 hazardous waste sites to the list of the most-contaminated places in the United States on Friday, clearing the way for major cleanups to rid the sites of dangerous toxins.

Arsenic, lead and mercury were among a long list of toxins found at the sites — mostly former factories, chemical plants and contaminated water plumes. Investigators also found elements like benzene, copper and chromium, plus harmful chemicals associated with pesticides and industrial solvents.

All 12 sites pose significant public health risks, the EPA said, leading to their designation as national priorities under Superfund, a federal program to identify and secure uncontrolled environmental hazards.

The EPA also proposed eight new sites that may potentially be deemed Superfund sites and withdrew a proposal for a ground water contamination site in Winnebago County, Ill., that has already been cleaned up.