The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, is a U.S. law enacted in 1980 to address hazardous waste sites. It authorizes the government to identify, clean up, and manage contaminated areas that pose risks to human health and the environment. CERCLA holds responsible parties—such as polluters—liable for cleanup costs. It also creates a trust fund, financed primarily by taxes on chemical and petroleum industries, to fund emergency responses when responsible parties cannot be identified or can't pay. Overall, CERCLA aims to ensure contaminated sites are safely cleaned and restored.