Love Canal

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Deleted NPL Site

Niagara Falls, NY

Love Canal is listed in the EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System with an NPL status of Deleted NPL Site and a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 52.23. The site is located in Niagara Falls, NY. Superfund National Priorities List inclusion is the EPA's formal designation that a contaminated site qualifies for long-term federal cleanup authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

EPA Superfund records catalog 34 contaminants associated with this site, documented through the remedial investigation process. Physical construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed, EPA designates this milestone as "Construction Complete." The site has been formally deleted from the NPL, indicating the EPA determined all response actions are complete.

NPL listing does not, by itself, establish a health risk to nearby residents, it triggers federal authority to investigate, score, and remediate. HRS scores of 28.50 or above qualify a site for the NPL; the ranking weighs contaminant toxicity, release pathways, waste quantity, and affected population. For current site conditions and community health guidance, contact the New York environmental or health agency and the EPA Regional Superfund office listed on the official site profile.

What is the cleanup status of this Superfund site?

NPL Status
Deleted NPL Site
Federal Facility
No
Construction Complete
Yes
HRS Score
52.23
Deleted from NPL
Yes

Contaminants

Contaminant Media
1,2,3-TRICHLOROBENZENE Sediment
1,2,3-TRICHLOROBENZENE Surface Water
2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-p-DIOXIN (TCDD) Sediment
2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-p-DIOXIN (TCDD) Surface Water
ANTIMONY Soil
ARSENIC Sediment
ARSENIC Soil
ARSENIC Surface Water
BENZENE Sediment
BENZENE Surface Water
BENZO(B)FLUORANTHENE Soil
BENZO[A]ANTHRACENE Soil
BENZO[A]PYRENE Soil
BENZOYL CHLORIDE Solid Waste
CHLOROBENZENE Solid Waste
CHROMIUM Soil
CHRYSENE Soil
DIOXINS (CHLORINATED DIBENZODIOXINS) Soil
DIOXINS (CHLORINATED DIBENZODIOXINS) Solid Waste
GAMMA-HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE (LINDANE) Solid Waste
INDENO(1,2,3-CD)PYRENE Soil
LEAD Soil
MERCURY Soil
PESTICIDES Soil
PESTICIDES Solid Waste
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) Soil
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) Solid Waste
TOLUENE Sediment
TOLUENE Soil
TOLUENE Surface Water
TRICHLOROPHENOL (MIXED ISOMERS) Solid Waste
XYLENE (MIXED ISOMERS) Soil
ZINC Sediment
ZINC Surface Water

Location

City
Niagara Falls
Coordinates
43.0797, -78.9494

Other Superfund Sites in New York

Site Name Status HRS Score
Action Anodizing, Plating, & Polishing Corp. Deleted NPL Site 34.72
American Thermostat Co. NPL Site 33.61
Anchor Chemicals Deleted NPL Site 37.20
Applied Environmental Services NPL Site 41.15
Arsenic Mine NPL Site -
Batavia Landfill Deleted NPL Site 50.18
BEC Trucking Deleted NPL Site 30.75
BioClinical Laboratories, Inc. Deleted NPL Site 32.91
Black River PCBs NPL Site 48.03
Brewster Well Field NPL Site 37.93

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Love Canal Superfund site?
Love Canal is a Superfund site located in Niagara Falls, NY. It has a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 52.23. Superfund sites are contaminated locations identified by the EPA for long-term cleanup.
Is Love Canal dangerous to live near?
The presence of a site on the EPA National Priorities List does not by itself indicate an immediate health risk to nearby residents. EPA evaluates sites through a comprehensive process including remedial investigation and risk assessment. Construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed at this site. For site-specific health questions, contact your state environmental or health agency.
What is the HRS score for Love Canal?
Love Canal has a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 52.23. The HRS is the EPA's principal mechanism for evaluating Superfund sites, scores of 28.50 or greater qualify for the NPL. Higher scores indicate greater potential risk based on toxicity, waste quantity, release likelihood, and affected population.
What contaminants are at the Love Canal site?
The EPA has identified 34 contaminants at Love Canal. Contaminant data is maintained in the EPA's Superfund database and is based on site investigations conducted during the remedial process.
What is the cleanup status of Love Canal?
Love Canal is currently Deleted NPL Site on the National Priorities List. Construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed. The site has been deleted from the NPL, indicating EPA has determined all response actions are complete. The EPA Superfund cleanup process includes phases from preliminary assessment through post-construction completion.

About Superfund

The National Priorities List (NPL) is the list of sites of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.

The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is the principal mechanism the EPA uses to evaluate sites for placement on the NPL. Sites with an HRS score of 28.50 or greater are eligible for the NPL. Higher scores indicate greater potential risk.

The EPA's Superfund cleanup process typically follows these phases: preliminary assessment, site inspection, NPL listing, remedial investigation/feasibility study, remedy selection, remedial design/action, construction completion, post-construction completion, and NPL deletion. Some sites remain on the NPL for decades.

PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing. The presence of a site on the NPL does not by itself indicate an immediate health risk to nearby residents. For site-specific health questions, consult your local environmental or health agency.

Related

Data sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro Editorial