Certified in Public Health (CPH) Practice Exam

What significant act established the "Superfund" for financing cleanup of hazardous waste disposal sites?

1. Clean Water Act

2. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

3. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

4. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

The correct answer is: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), often referred to as the "Superfund" law, was enacted in 1980 to address the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. This law aimed to provide a federal response to the growing environmental and health risks posed by abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. CERCLA established a trust fund, commonly known as the Superfund, which was designed to finance the cleanup of sites where hazardous substances were released, ensuring that the responsible parties are held accountable for the remediation costs. The act allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify potentially responsible parties and require them to clean up contaminated sites or reimburse the government for cleanup costs incurred from the federal fund. This significant legislation marked a crucial step in environmental law by prioritizing the protection of public health and the environment from hazardous waste impacts. In contrast, the Clean Water Act focuses on regulating the discharge of pollutants into the waters of the United States, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) governs the disposal of solid and hazardous waste, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of their actions before making decisions. While these acts contribute to environmental protection and public health, they are not specifically