ATSDR Brownfield/Land Reuse Health Program

Brownfield:
The US Congress formalized the definition of brownfields in 2002 through an amendment to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601). Under this definition, the term “brownfield site” means real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. There are some exclusions to the definition of “brownfield site”, such as facilities that may be placed or are listed on the National Priorities List (i.e. Superfund sites) or subject to corrective action under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, among others (United States Congress, 2002).

Land Reuse Sites:
ATSDR includes brownfields as a type of land reuse site. Land reuse sites are sites that are slated for redevelopment but may have chemical contamination. In other words, land reuse sites include brownfields plus those sites that are exempted from the 2002 CERCLA amendment, such as Superfund sites.

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