Accidents, spills, leaks, and past improper disposal and handling of hazardous materials and wastes have resulted in tens of thousands of sites across our country that have contaminated our land, water (groundwater and surface water), and air (indoor and outdoor). Some of the more common categories of contaminants include: industrial solvents, petroleum products, metals, pesticides, bacteria, and radiological materials. These contaminated sites can threaten human health as well as the environment, in addition to hampering economic growth and the vitality of local communities. EPA and its state and territorial partners have developed a variety of cleanup programs to assess and, where necessary, clean up these contaminated sites. Cleanups may be done by EPA, other federal agencies, states or municipalities, or the company or party responsible for the contamination.

Recommended EPA Web pages

• Cleaning Up Our Land, Water and Air
  Information about EPA's cleanup programs, laws, regulations, policies, guidance, partners, technologies, grants as well as links to information about specific cleanups that are occurring all across the nation.
• One Cleanup Program
  One Cleanup Program is EPA's vision for how different cleanup programs at all levels of government can work together to improve the coordination, speed, and effectiveness of cleanups at the nation's contaminated sites.
• Land Research Program
  Provides innovative science solutions to preserve the nation's land, restore contaminated properties, and protect public health from exposure to contaminants.

Brownfields
Partnerships, Sustainable Redevelopment, Targeted Brownfields Assessments

Cleanup Legal Aspects
Cases and Settlements, Compliance, Enforcement, Guidance, Legislation, Liability, Public Comment, Regulations, Tax Incentives

Cleanup Technology
Characterization and Monitoring, Remediation

Storage Tanks
Abandoned Properties, Leaks and Spills

Superfund
Community Involvement, Cost Recovery, National Priorities List (NPL), Potentially Responsible Parties, Records of Decision (RODs), Remedy Decisions, Risk Assessment, Sites, Superfund Cleanup Process