Redevelopment Economics at Superfund Sites
2023 Beneficial Effects
Introduction
For over three decades, EPA’s Superfund program and its partners have remediated contaminated hazardous waste sites and supported community-led reuse efforts.
Communities reuse Superfund sites in many different ways. Today, sites across the country are home to parks and recreation facilities, commercial and industrial hubs, retail centers, natural areas, government offices and neighborhoods. Many of these reuses play a key role in local economic revitalization efforts.
EPA measures the economic beneficial effects of reuse at Superfund sites by collecting a wide variety of information:
- Number of businesses located at sites.
- Number of people employed at site businesses.
- Annual employment income from on-site jobs.
- Annual sales revenue generated by businesses at sites.
- On-site property value and property tax information.
- Other economic impacts that are unique to individual sites.
National Economic Beneficial Effects
EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Program, or SRP, tracks this information over time to give a general overview of the national beneficial effects associated with Superfund redevelopment. To date, SRP has tracked these benefits from 2011 through 2023.
The 2023 data show that, at the 692 non-federal facility sites in reuse, 10,261 businesses generate $71.4 billion in sales revenue and employ 237,054 people who earn a combined estimated income of $18.8 billion. The sales revenue generated by these businesses is over three times the $20.3 billion (inflation adjusted) that EPA has spent cumulatively at these sites. Over the last 13 years (2011 to 2023), these businesses' operations generated at least $686 billion (inflation-adjusted) in sales, which is more than 33 times the $20.3 billion (inflation adjusted) that EPA has spent cumulatively at these sites.
Quantifying the benefits of Superfund redevelopment at some sites is straightforward. For example, commercial or industrial reuse of a site bolsters the local economy by supporting jobs and generating sales revenue. However, not all sites in reuse have an on-site business or other land use that employs people.
Therefore, economic information is not available for all sites in reuse. The 692 Superfund sites with economic data in 2023 represent only a percentage of all sites in reuse, and exclude sites at federal facilities. The remaining non-federal facility sites in reuse and continued use are not expected to have uses that support on-site businesses, provide jobs or generate sales revenue.
2023 National Reuse Economics Map
Reuse Economics Resources
The economic information collected by EPA is highlighted in several ways. SRP’s Redevelopment Economics webpage includes links to reports and case studies that highlight the economic benefits associated with reuse and continued use at Superfund sites.
Regional Economic Profiles share stories of Superfund redevelopment from each EPA Region and discuss the beneficial effects of reusing formerly contaminated properties.
The profiles summarize economic data for Superfund sites in each EPA Region. They also highlight success stories and put them in the context of state and regional data.
The Redevelopment Economics at Superfund Sites website includes links to the Regional Economic Profiles.
Beneficial Effects Economic Case Studies share detailed information on individual Superfund sites, covering reuse and employment data as well as unique economic benefits provided by particular uses such as alternative energy and recreation facilities.
The Redevelopment Economics at Superfund Sites website includes links to Beneficial Effects Economic Case Studies developed since 2011.
For More Information
To learn more about the Superfund program, visit the Superfund website:
To learn more about Superfund Redevelopment, visit the contact webpage:
