CERCLA in a Global Context

The article first reviews the essential features of CERCLA and how they have evolved over time through legislative amendments and judicial interpretation. The article then compares CERCLA's approach to that embodied in the European Union's 2004 Directive on Environmental Liability with Regard to the Prevention and Remedying of Environmental Damage ("ELD:). It then reviews the laws adopted by various countries, including EU members, to respond to releases of hazardous substances. The article then discusses several case studies of how different countries handled incidents of environmental contamination.

It concludes by summarizing the comparative law of environmental remediation and its implications for the continued evolution of global law.