The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) seeks to understand and break the link between chemical exposure and disease to protect health, the environment, and communities affected by hazardous waste. Today, about 78 million people live within three miles of a Superfund site — these communities tend to have more Indigenous and people of color, have lower incomes, and face other environmental stressors, such as air poor air quality. Protecting the public from toxic substances requires a focus on the communities that are disproportionately burdened by exposure to contaminants in water, soil, and air.