The National Priorities List (NPL) is the list of sites of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.
Continued exposure to the hazardous substances released from Superfund sites into the air, groundwater, and surface water can be incredibly detrimental to human health in communities within and surrounding the site. Research has shown higher levels of cancer, birth defects, developmental disabilities, and other serious health issues in communities near Superfund sites.
Children have a much higher rate of exposure to environmental toxicants than adults, as they have higher intakes of water, food, and air than adults in relation to body weight; additionally, this higher rate of exposure is exacerbated by common behaviors of children, such as hand-to-mouth behavior, and playing close to the ground when outside.
The NPL primarily serves as an information and management tool. It is a part of the Superfund cleanup process. The NPL is updated periodically. The Federal Register Notices for NPL Updates page provides a list of Federal Register Notices for proposed NPL updates and NPL updates. The list is ordered by year and provides the rule type, rule date, FR citation, and a short content description for each FR.