Environmental Effects at Superfund Sites

This page contains links to information regarding addressing environmental (ecological) effects that may result from contamination at Superfund sites.

Ecological Risk Assessment - Superfund risk assessments determine how threatening a hazardous waste site is to human health and the environment. Risk Assessors seek to determine a safe level for each potentially dangerous contaminant present. For ecological receptors, determining the level of risk is more complicated than for human health and is a function of the receptors of concern, the nature of the adverse effects caused by the contaminants, and the desired condition of the ecological resources. This web area contains information on the ecological risk assessment process in Superfund and links to various ecological risk assessment guidance documents and resources for technical support.

Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (ERAGS) - This document provides guidance on the process of designing and conducting technically defensible ecological risk assessments for the Superfund Program.

Ecological Soil Screening Levels (Eco-SSLs) - Eco-SSLs are concentrations of contaminants in soil that are protective of ecological receptors that commonly come into contact with soil or ingest biota that live in or on soil. These values can be used to identify the contaminants of potential concern in soils requiring further evaluation in a baseline ecological risk assessment. This web area contains information on Eco-SSLs as well as guidance and documents.