Final answer:
Brownfields are polluted properties from past industrial use, with prior owners responsible for the environmental impact due to inadequate regulations and harmful practices like hydraulic mining and waste dumping.
Step-by-step explanation:
Brownfields are properties that have been previously used for industrial or commercial purposes and may be contaminated by hazardous substances or pollutants. They were typically created by industrial growth, mining activities, and inadequate environmental regulations. The previous owners are responsible for the environmental impact of their activities, which often included the use of hydraulic mining techniques and the dumping of industrial waste and sewage into rivers, critically affecting ecosystems and water quality. Most cities ignored the effects their waste would have on those living downstream, notably the Cuyahoga River incident in 1969.
Brownfields were created by three previous owners who are responsible for their remediation.A brownfield is a former industrial or commercial site that is contaminated or potentially contaminated due to previous use. The responsibility for cleaning up and addressing the environmental issues of brownfield sites usually falls on the current or previous owners.For example, if a company previously owned and operated a factory on a brownfield site and caused pollution and contamination, they would be responsible for remediation efforts to ensure the site is safe for future use.