A former chlorine manufacturer, a hard rock mine, a commercial grain elevator and an electroplating facility are among seven new sites added to the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. The sites were selected because of their degree of risk to human health and to sensitive environments. The EPA also proposed consideration to add an additional five sites. Contaminants found at the final and proposed sites include benzene, cadmium, carbon tetrachloride, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethene, toluene, vinyl chloride, mercury, zinc, lead and arsenic, among others.

With the addition of the seven sites, there are now 1,245 final sites on the NPL. With the addition of the five newly proposed sites, 62 proposed sites await final agency action - 56 in the general Superfund section and six in the federal facilities section. Altogether, there are 1,307 final and proposed sites on the list.

To read the entire news release, visit www.epa.gov/superfund/news/npl_082305.htm.