Key Issues > Hazardous Waste
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Hazardous Waste

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in four Americans lives within 3 miles of a contaminated site, many of which pose serious risks to human health and the environment.

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The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 authorizes EPA and other federal agencies to respond to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances and created a trust fund to provide for certain cleanup activities. EPA regulates facilities that may cause contamination and oversees the cleanup of the nation’s most seriously contaminated sites under a variety of programs. Similarly, the Department of Defense (DOD) addresses hazards at thousands of contaminated areas on active and former military installations.

EPA’s National Priorities List includes over a thousand of the nation’s most seriously contaminated hazardous release sites, many of which pose unacceptable human exposure or unknown human exposure risks. In addition, former defense sites can pose hazards such as unsafe buildings, a variety of toxic and radioactive wastes, and ordnance and explosive compounds. DOD is obligated to ensure that former defense sites are cleaned up to a level that is protective of human health and the environment. DOD has identified over 4,000 formerly used defense sites, which were closed before October 2006, and over 5,000 sites identified by several Base Realignment and Closure commissions that require cleanup.

Looking for our recommendations? Click on any report to find each associated recommendation and its current implementation status.

Defense Infrastructure

DOD Can Improve Its Response to Environmental Exposures on Military Installations
GAO-12-412, May 1, 2012

Superfund

Interagency Agreements and Improved Project Management Needed to Achieve Cleanup Progress at Key Defense Installations
GAO-10-348, Jul 15, 2010

Superfund

EPA's Estimated Costs to Remediate Existing Sites Exceed Current Funding Levels, and More Sites Are Expected to Be Added to the National Priorities List
GAO-10-380, May 6, 2010

Environmental Contamination

Information on the Funding and Cleanup Status of Defense Sites
GAO-10-547T, Mar 17, 2010

Superfund

Litigation Has Decreased and EPA Needs Better Information on Site Cleanup and Cost Issues to Estimate Future Program Funding Requirements
GAO-09-656, Jul 15, 2009

More Reports

Hazardous Waste Cleanup

Observations on States' Role, Liabilities at DOD and Hardrock Mining Sites, and Litigation Issues
GAO-13-633T, May 22, 2013

Superfund

EPA Should Take Steps to Improve Its Management of Alternatives to Placing Sites on the National Priorities List
GAO-13-252, Apr 9, 2013

Recovery Act

Most DOE Cleanup Projects Are Complete, but Project Management Guidance Could Be Strengthened
GAO-13-23, Oct 15, 2012

Unconventional Oil and Gas Development

Key Environmental and Public Health Requirements
GAO-12-874, Sep 5, 2012

Superfund

Status of EPA's Efforts to Improve Its Management and Oversight of Special Accounts
GAO-12-109, Jan 18, 2012

Environmental Protection Agency

Management Challenges and Budget Observations
GAO-12-149T, Oct 12, 2011

EPA Health Risk Assessments

Oversight and Sustained Management Key to Overcoming Challenges
GAO-12-148T, Oct 6, 2011

Hazardous Waste

Early Goals Have Been Met in EPA's Corrective Action Program, but Resource and Technical Challenges Will Constrain Future Progress
GAO-11-514, Jul 22, 2011

Environmental Protection Agency

Major Management Challenges
GAO-11-422T, Mar 2, 2011

Superfund

Information on the Nature and Costs of Cleanup Activities at Three Landfills in the Gulf Coast Region
GAO-11-287R, Feb 18, 2011
More...

Podcasts

Superfund Costs and CleanupTuesday, June 22, 2010
  • portrait of Alfredo Gomez
    • Alfredo Gomez
    • Director, Natural Resources and Environment
    • gomezj@gao.gov
    • 202-512-3841