About SBRP

Superfund Basic Research Program

Since its inception in 1987, the SBRP has applied a multidisciplinary approach to basic research focused to provide a solid foundation which environmental managers and risk assessors can draw upon to make sound decisions related to Superfund and other hazardous waste sites. We believe that basic research plays a crucial role in addressing challenges posed by environmental contamination such as health risks, toxicity, exposure predictions, fate and transport, and the need for cost-effective treatments for hazardous waste sites found throughout the United States.

Today, the Program supports peer-reviewed research in 14 university programs encompassing 89 collaborating institutions. These programs conduct interdisciplinary, multi-project research focused on one central theme. The SBRP also provides funding for Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Research (SBIR/STTR) grants designed to foster the commercialization of relevant technologies, products and devices, as well as funding for individual research grants to address specific issues that complement the multiproject program grants.

The SBRP also has a strong training component, supporting many outstanding graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Finally, the Program funds a variety of outreach efforts to facilitate the translation of the Program's research findings to the communities and organizations most concerned with hazardous substances, with the ultimate goal of improving public health.