Environmental Law Articles

Like many veteran recycling professionals, I have faced serious challenges in making the wish of recycling all materials come true.  Although paper, cardboard, cans and bottles have ready markets and collection infrastructure; computers, mattresses and other items did not.  They were the problem items that went into dumpsters because costs and lack of mechanism gave them little chance ...

Feb. 14, 2017

By CleanRiver Recycling Solutions A division of Midpoint International Inc.

In spite of a great number of environmental laws and a sound legal framework for the water and sanitation sector, there are numerous obstacles, which impede the successful implementation of Brazilian sanitation policies. This study undertakes an institutional assessment of decentralized wastewater treatment solutions, applicable in rural areas in the state of Rio de Janeiro in order to ...

Jan. 1, 2017

By IWA Publishing

Civilians in Northern Iraq are falling victim to additional suffering - including near suffocation and respiratory illnesses - due to what appears to be a scorched-earth policy employed by retreating ISIL militants following the launch of a major military offensive to retake the city of Mosul. Nineteen oil wells have been set ablaze by armed groups near Al Qayyarah, located south-east of Mosul, ...

Oct. 27, 2016

By United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

With the Government now having officially announced its support for a new runway at Heathrow, despite having slashed the Airports Commission’s claim of a £147 billion benefit to the UK by almost 60% (referring instead ...

Oct. 25, 2016

By A.E.F. S.r.l.

The updated Toxic Substances Control Act brings new hope for protecting Americans’ health and environment. Here's what it does — and doesn’t — do. “This is a big deal,” said President Barack Obama as he signed into ...

Aug. 29, 2016

By Ensia

The EPA views the laws as a major victory for chemical safety, public health and the environment. The EPA altered the CBI certification statement for 2016 CDR submission, to be consistent with the new laws requirements. In addition the EPA is updating the guidance, instructions, and informational documents to be consistent with the new language. Manufactures and importers are required to give the ...

Aug. 9, 2016

By Logical Technology, Inc.

On May 11, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an unpublished memorandum decision in an environmental justice case, Garcia v. McCarthy, Case No. 14-15494, that many have been watching closely. The Ninth Circuit affirmed a decision by the U.S. District Court dismissing the Plaintiffs’ Complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The District Court case involved ...

May 13, 2016

By Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.

As we are poised to witness the reauthorization of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) -- the first revision of our domestic chemical management law in 40 years -- stakeholders will need immediately to understand what the "new TSCA" means for their industrial operations and strategically adjust their global operations to the new law. In late 2015, Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy ...

May 13, 2016

By Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.

In 2012, New York, USA enacted the Sewage Pollution Right to Know (SPRtK) Act, which requires public notification of untreated and partially treated sewage discharges. With the passing of this law, New York joined 12 other states that have similar laws but none as comprehensive as New York's. As part of the SPRtK Act requirements, aggregated sewage discharge reports (SDRs) are made available ...

Mar. 31, 2016

By IWA Publishing

This article contains a study of international and national measures dealing with the potential threat of pollution and the introduction of alien species that may come from the discharge of improperly treated ballast water. Ballast water management policy, law and coastal biosecurity strategies are considered. There are challenges to achieving the ideals of ballast water laws, as correctly ...

Mar. 15, 2016

By IWA Publishing

Water conflicts are rare across Michigan's history. As a result, water rights have received little attention by courts or the legislature. Traditionally, the common law of water rights in Michigan embraces the riparian doctrine for surface water and provides landowners with the right to use groundwater. However, two recent changes in common and statutory law significantly modify the legal ...

Mar. 10, 2016

By IWA Publishing

The December 2015 issue of Nature Biotechnology included comments by Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. on keeping biotech rules current with scientific progress in the article ...

Feb. 1, 2016

By Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.

Request Recording and slides from “TSCA Reform Panel Summit: What’s Happening Now, and What’s Next?” ...

Dec. 1, 2015

By Acta Group

Thanksgiving is the one national holiday that has avoided being despoiled by excessive commercialization. It is a time when families and friends gather to appreciate one another and be thankful. But on the environmental front, we are constantly bombarded with stories of impending crises, environmental disasters, ecosystem collapse and species loss. Not only does this ...

Nov. 25, 2015

By Ensia

On October 5, 2015, Canada announced that it had concluded negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (“TPP”). The TPP is a free trade agreement which will provide Canada with preferential and unprecedented access to the Asia-Pacific Region. The TTP is currently comprised of twelve Pacific-rim countries, representing a market of 800 million people. The TTP will need to be ...

Oct. 15, 2015

By GLOBE SERIES

Think environmental protection hurts business? You just might want to think again. In a study published last week at PLOS ONE, University of North Carolina land use and environmental planning faculty member Todd BenDor and colleagues calculated the dollars-and-cents impact of ...

Jun. 25, 2015

By Ensia

On May 22, 2015, the California State Assembly passed the Plastic Microbeads Nuisance Prevention Law, a bill designed to ban the use of microbeads in beauty products and prevent the environment harm that occurs when they inevitably end up in waterways. California is not the first state to restrict microbeads as Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, and Colorado have also done so and several other states ...

Jun. 12, 2015

By Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.

On May 12, 2015, Representative John Shimkus (R-IL), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, released a new (second) draft of the TSCA Modernization Act of 2015 (TMA2 DD). In April, Shimkus released an initial discussion ...

May 20, 2015

By Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.

A former electronics manufacturing facility in North Carolina (NC) had conducted groundwater remediation since 1991 to remediate low-level chlorinated solvents.  Under RCRA, the originally approved Remedial Action Plan (RAP) recommended pump and treat (P & T with air stripping and carbon) to capture and remove the contaminants.  Upon coming on board the project, Solutions-IES ...

May 18, 2015

By Solutions-IES

Green groups face a growing call to measure and report how well they do their jobs Greenpeace rates tech companies on their data centers. Oxfam America ranks food brands on the sustainability of their supply chains. The ...

May 4, 2015

By Ensia