The Superfund program prioritizes sites based on the risk they pose to human health and the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary agency responsible for overseeing the cleanup process. Sites are added to the National Priorities List (NPL) after thorough assessment and evaluation.
Toxicologists assess the nature and extent of contamination, evaluating the potential exposure pathways and health risks. They use risk assessment models to estimate the likelihood of adverse health effects on exposed populations, which guides the cleanup efforts.