A perfect storm: when tropical storms meet toxic waste

This report looks at the unprecedented threat of worsening hurricanes to the containment of toxic waste at Superfund sites, with a particular focus on the threats posed by the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Out of an already record-breaking 30 total named storms in a single Atlantic hurricane season, a record-breaking 11 made landfall in the United States during the monstrous 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. These storms can rip through towns at hundreds of miles per hour, damaging everything in their path, including Superfund toxic waste sites where some of the most toxic chemicals on earth are found. When Superfund sites are damaged or flooded during a storm, the chemicals can spread into surrounding communities, contaminating soil, drinking water, and air. 

This report concludes with five key recommendations: 

1. A Polluter Pays Tax should be reinstated to fund the Superfund.
2. The risk of toxic waste spreading from a Superfund site due to climateinduced natural disasters and sealevel rise should be taken into account when designing the clean-up plan for a site.
3. States and local governments should work closely with the EPA to ensure people are aware of the Superfund sites in their communities, especially if any sites are at risk of being impacted by a severe weather event, or may have been impacted.
4. Individuals should find out if they live near a Superfund toxic waste site.
5. Individuals should heed all warnings from the EPA and their state and local government and take precautions to protect themselves in the event of a tropical storm or any related severe weather in their area, especially if it may impact nearby toxic waste sites.