How Superfund Sites Work

When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency labels a location as a Superfund site, cleanup begins, usually after the EPA confirms hazardous chemicals or materials threaten people or nearby wildlife. As of July 3, 2025, there are 1,343 Superfund sites listed on the National Priorities List, according to the EPA. Around 16 to 20 of these sites have contained asbestos hazards as part of their contamination profile. Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer.

The worst sites go on the NPL, which alerts the public to areas the agency is investigating or already cleaning. Libby, Montana, remains the most well-known asbestos Superfund site. Libby’s vermiculite mine contaminated the entire town, which led to unusually high rates of mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases among residents. Asbestos released from the mine spread through homes, schools and businesses, sickening thousands in the region.

Cleanup on these sites typically takes months or even years. Before crews move or remove contaminated soil, the EPA makes sure the site has been thoroughly evaluated, and tests show what and where the hazards are. These careful steps prevent new exposures and protect people living nearby.

After a Site Becomes a Superfund, What’s Next?

Cleanup starts with a site assessment. This first step lets investigators judge how dangerous the contamination is and whether immediate action is needed to lower asbestos exposure risks. Once the EPA completes its assessment, it adds the site to the NPL and creates a plan for addressing the danger.

EPA’s Responsibilities During Cleanup

  • Completing cleanup and removing the site from the NPL
  • Involving the community and raising public awareness
  • Maintaining long-term protection of human health and the environment
  • Planning for safe reuse and redevelopment of the site
  • Notifying property owners and other responsible parties
  • Removing asbestos where immediate action is needed
  • Taking remedial action to clean up the site

Throughout this process, the EPA keeps the local community informed through regular meetings and notices. People learn when the cleanup starts, what is being done, and what comes next.

Did You Know?
Friable (loose) asbestos materials pose the greatest risk to anyone visiting a Superfund site.

How the EPA Evaluates Asbestos Superfund Sites

EPA workers use a step-by-step framework to check for asbestos. First, they look through records and site histories for evidence of asbestos use or natural deposits. Next, they check for dangerous friable asbestos that can easily break apart and become airborne.

Steps in the Asbestos Evaluation Process

  1. Review historical and current data: Evaluate past and current use of asbestos-containing materials and check for naturally occurring asbestos at the site.
  2. Evaluate the risk for airborne asbestos: Investigate if friable asbestos materials in buildings or natural deposits pose an environmental hazard.
  3. Analyze human exposure possibilities: Determine the likelihood of exposure to asbestos based on current or future site conditions.
  4. Preliminary screening and sampling: Conduct activity-based sampling after site disturbances to measure asbestos concentrations. Immediate response may be needed if levels exceed “air action levels.”
  5. Collect and analyze samples: Further analyze samples to estimate overall risk by location and type of disturbance. Use data for future cleanup decisions.
  6. Response action: Carry out remedial or removal actions to reduce asbestos exposure risk. Immediate removal occurs for urgent hazards; others may remain until full cleanup.

The EPA figures out if people might be exposed now or in the future, using air and soil samples before and after disturbing the site. If samples show dangerous levels, workers remove the most hazardous material as soon as possible. 

For less urgent risks, the EPA plans for careful cleanup to limit fiber releases. This approach helps EPA workers choose the safest remedies and make sure any future use of the land remains free from dangerous asbestos exposure.

Examples of Asbestos-Contaminated Superfunds

Asbestos-contaminated Superfund sites include well-known locations like Libby, Montana, where vermiculite mining caused widespread asbestos exposure. Other sites include military bases, shipyards, chemical plants and landfills linked to historic asbestos use or disposal. 

These sites were once home to various industrial and military activities and require federal cleanup efforts. The EPA and state agencies prioritize cleanup based on risks to nearby communities. Many sites need complex years-long remediation thanks to multiple responsible parties or extensive contamination. 

Quick Fact:
Some of the major corporations associated with multiple asbestos-related Superfunds were generally manufacturers, chemical producers and electric companies.

Libby, Montana

Aerial Zonolite Mine & Mill
Aerial Zonolite Mine & Mill

Libby is one of the most well-known asbestos-contaminated Superfund sites. Vermiculite mining began in the 1920s under the Zonolite Company, and W.R. Grace & Co. took over operations in 1963. At its peak, the Libby mine produced about 80% of the world’s vermiculite, but the ore was contaminated with a toxic form of asbestos called Libby Amphibole asbestos. 

For decades, residents, workers and their families were exposed as asbestos fibers became airborne and spread throughout the community. The EPA responded to health concerns in 1999 and added Libby to the National Priorities List in 2002. 

In 2009, the site became the first to receive a Public Health Emergency declaration because of its severe asbestos hazards. Cleanup efforts continue today, with major remediation mostly complete outside the mine itself. In 2023, W.R. Grace agreed to an $18.5 million settlement to help restore the surrounding land.

Quick Fact:
In 2008, the EPA negotiated the largest cash settlement in Superfund history, receiving $250 million from W.R. Grace to recover cleanup costs.

North Ridge Estates (Klamath Falls, Oregon)

North Ridge Estates was developed on a former Marine base where many buildings originally contained asbestos. When these buildings were demolished, workers buried the asbestos debris onsite instead of disposing it safely offsite.

The EPA began asbestos removal in 2003. By 2006, the risk forced residents to relocate permanently. The site joined the National Priorities List in 2011. Annual soil cleanup continues, though seasonal weather conditions sometimes limit cleanup.

George Air Force Base (Victorville, California)

This Air Force Base was added to the Superfund list in 1990 after soil and debris tested positive for asbestos contamination. The EPA took early steps to control hazards, but more work is needed before the site can be fully removed from the National Priorities List.

Military bases contain widespread asbestos from historic building materials. The cleanup requires careful planning and extensive monitoring to protect workers and the community over many years.

Pensacola Naval Air Station (Florida)

The site centers on a landfill used between the 1950s and 1976, which accepted demolition debris soaked with asbestos. The Navy frequently used asbestos in building materials during this period.

Cleanup began after asbestos and other hazardous materials were found in a large debris field. The EPA listed the site and continues remediation, expecting cleanup to last several years.

Naval Weapons Station Earle (New Jersey)

Some buildings and landfills at this site contained asbestos-containing products along with other pollutants like lead and chromium. The EPA added the site to the Superfund list in 1990.

Cleanup efforts focus on capping landfills and monitoring groundwater to prevent further contamination. The Department of Defense’s Restoration Program oversees ongoing remediation to reduce environmental hazards and protect nearby communities.

Tacoma Dry Dock Shipyard (Washington State)

Local leaders initially opposed listing the shipyard as a Superfund site in 1983, fearing economic setbacks. However, pollution levels, including asbestos presence in shipyard soils and nearby areas, made federal cleanup unavoidable.

Cleanup efforts began in 2013 and covered more than 180 properties. The EPA continues oversight to manage environmental risks and protect the community.

Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard (Maryland)

This Coast Guard facility, known for ship repair and buoy manufacture, left asbestos and other toxins like PCBs, pesticides and dioxins at the site. The EPA named it a Superfund site in 2002.

A federal agreement requires the Coast Guard to manage contamination risks and protect community health through ongoing cleanup and long-term monitoring. These efforts aim to reduce exposure and ensure the site is safe for the surrounding neighborhoods.

Learn More About the History of Asbestos & Veterans

Fike Chemical, Inc. (Nitro, West Virginia)

Listed in 1983, this chemical plant left widespread asbestos and other harmful materials. The EPA conducted initial cleanup in 1984, but long-term remediation efforts are still underway.

Asbestos remains a risk, mainly from building materials, since factories like chemical plants used asbestos extensively for its heat-resistant qualities. The EPA continues to monitor and manage the site’s safety.

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Top Companies Linked to Asbestos-Contaminated Superfund Sites

An analysis by the Center for Public Integrity in 2007 identified major companies connected to asbestos contamination. These companies have been linked to Superfund site cleanups and asbestos-related lawsuits.

Companies Associated with Asbestos Superfunds

These companies have paid for Superfund cleanup costs and settled thousands of asbestos lawsuits from affected workers. Some established asbestos trust funds after bankruptcy to compensate people harmed by their products.

The use of asbestos provided short-term savings but resulted in significant human costs, especially at sites like Libby. Both W.R. Grace and the state of Montana have been found liable by U.S. courts for harm to Libby residents.

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