Hurricane Harvey’s flood waters have washed in massive amounts of pollution, causing environmental concern across the state of Texas.

The Houston metro area has more than a dozen Superfund sites.  A Superfund site is land that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and has been identified by the EPA as a candidate for cleanup because of the risk the contamination poses to human health and the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has categorized these hazardous waste sites as being among America's most highly contaminated locations. 

Many are now flooded, threatening the integrity of the groundwater and the safety of residents. The EPA has sent teams to investigate the contaminated sites and confirmed that 13 of the 41 Superfund sites in Texas were flooded by Hurricane Harvey.

Some of the sites remain fully submerged and will not be able to be inspected until the flood waters recede. Once the EPA team can safely access the sites they will be able to identify if any sustained damage due to Harvey.

As a result of the flooding, numerous chemical plants experienced damages and explosions, causing yet another concern for Texas.

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Photo Credit: Washington Post

Currently, there are more than 1,300 Superfund sites in the United States. These polluted sites require long-term clean up and may expose humans to dangerous levels of toxic chemicals. It is important to understand these risks and be aware of your home’s proximity to hazardous waste. Determine if your home is located near a Superfund site with Impact Check.

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