Hazardous Waste and Clean-up Costs Essay Example for Free

Hazardous Waste and Clean-up Costs Essay CERCLA was enacted, along with its sister law RCRA which came before it, to deal with the environmental damage that was being caused by improper waste disposal. CERCLA’s goals are to clean up old dump sites and discourage future illegal dumping. CERCLA imposes few direct regulatory obligations and is designed to force cleanups and allocate the cost of cleaning up via its liability and cleanup provisions. The basic principle is that the potentially responsible parties such as waste generators, transporters, and/or owners operators of facilities that are responsible for hazardous waste pollution should pay for its cleanup. Through CERCLA’s strict liability scheme any company that illegally spills or dumps hazardous substances is liable for the clean-up whether or not the action was negligent. Also, through joint and several liability, each party that contributed waste to a site is responsible for its cleanup. So if Joe Blow is found liable for the clean-up of a site and happens to find any evidence that another company may have contributed as well, Joe Blow can legally pursue them to pay their â€Å"fair share† of the clean-up costs. A perfect example of this was the Girl Scout story told in our environmental law class where a Girl Scout cookie box was found in a site by a company that was fingered for clean-up. The company then tried to accuse the Girl Scouts organization of having to pay the cost of clean-up as well. Furthermore, through retroactive liability, all responsible parties have to clean-up the site even if the damage was done before the law was enacted. CERCLA has criteria for its two types of clean-up procedures which are removal and remedial. Removal actions are generally short term actions such as fencing off an area, studying the soil and removing the hazardous substances to remove the immediate threat from the site. Remedial actions are generally long term actions necessary to clean-up sites to meet final clean-up standards which may include removal or incineration of the contaminated soil to reduce the threat from the site. Through these liability clean-up provisions CERCLA strives to achieve its purpose. CERCLA was later amended in 1980 by SARA (Superfund Amendment Reauthorization Act), enacted to strengthen CERCLA by requiring that site cleanups be permanent and that they use treatments that significantly reduce the volume, toxicity, or mobility of hazardous pollutants. SARA not only increased the size of the Superfund but imposed more stringent requirements when it established more detailed clean-up standards, added new settlement procedures, established mandatory schedules for federal facility compliance, and added provisions to expand the involvement of states and citizen groups in the decision making process. Some major criticisms of CERCLA are that it has been ineffective in cleaning up the nation’s hazardous waste sites, that it has wasted more money on transaction and litigation costs than on clean-up, and that it is unfair to parties that contribute minimally but are liable for the total cost of the clean-up of a site. As for it being ineffective, my opinion is that it is effective because it could be much worse. Craig Collins, a professor of environmental law and the author of â€Å"Toxic Loopholes: Failures and Future Prospects for Environmental Law† points out that â€Å"the dramatic decline in ‘midnight dumping’ since CERCLA became law reveals how effective this liability threat can be† (p. 88). He also has shared within his classroom that mismanaged hazardous waste spills and dumps which used to be commonplace before CERCLA are rare these days. Has the Superfund been wasteful? Clearly you would think this if you’re looking at the percentage of money that has gone into legal fees and litigation costs alone but according to Collins, Superfund has also funded aid for â€Å"toxic terrorism and natural disasters such as the World Trade Center collapse and the devastating Midwest floods of 1993† (p. 99). When looking at it from that lens I can see that it has been just as helpful in many areas as it may have been considered wasteful in others. Regarding unfairness to those who minimally contribute but face the total cost of clean-up, a provision of CERCLA, as addressed by SARA, swiftly settles the liability of those parties through de minimis settlements. Don’t think I don’t understand that just as CERCLA could be worse it could also be better. First of all, it could work a lot better if the people creating laws, such as CERCLA, were actually more concerned about the environment than their powerful colleagues and certain incentives. More specifically, if we continued to allow corporate taxes which supplied money for Superfund clean-ups (which Bush allowed to expire in 1995) we would have money to clean-up many of the orphaned sites that now go uncleaned. Furthermore, if CERCLA forced all companies to use and help promote the â€Å"zero waste† approach, we could then prove that experiences such as the Love Canals, Times Beach Missouri, and Grand Bois actually did mean enough to all of us to do something more unified and serious about it.

Essay --

Popular representations of war encompass how different generations and societies have seen, witnessed and explained or justified wars through the use of language, literature, visual arts and later, films. Contemporary war refers to the new concepts, weaponry, and technologies that have been used at the beginning of WWII to the present time period. Over the years that have passed, the methods and concepts have assumed newer complex forms, mainly due to widespread use of information and technology and also modern armies that have constantly upgraded to preserve their battle worthiness. Furthermore, contemporary war has sought the greater inclusion of civilians and civilian infrastructure as targets in destroying a nations capability of waging war. As an apt corollary of popular representations of war, Homer’s epic poem, ‘The Iliad’, tries to show its audience the suffering and loss caused by war, in his time period. In addition, some of the main themes in popular re presentations of war are, for example, the theme of wrath and revenge, motives that have been the start of many wars; and the theme of military prowess. However, ‘The Iliad’ can also be seen as a misleading corollary that disconnects from popular representations of war through the centuries, due to the fact that it excludes the theme of battle or combat suffering, since in ‘The Iliad’, soldiers die instantly, whereas the author does not expose to the readers the suffering accompanying so many wounded soldiers, who die a slow and un-hero like death. Using adequate quotes from ‘The Iliad’, Lokesson, Shay, and other outside sources, we will try to understand how ‘The Iliad’ is an apt and a misleading corollary to understand popular representations of war. The Greek ancient ... ...wn us a less tidy affair, involving many conflicting needs and many more possibilities of dissent. Overall, one thing remains clear, whether in The Iliad or in other depictions of war through the times, it is the young that are sent to the battlefield, either to gain glory or to die, thus, as Herbert Hoover once said: â€Å"Old men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die.† The Iliad is no different, as it clearly shows us that war is waged by those that can physically fight it, that show the bravery and masculine love for the affair and that have something to gain (or lose) from it. The Iliad thus, becomes perhaps, one of the greatest depictions of how war is fought and why it is fought, and the pathos it brings to all it touches. If we still read it 2,500 years or so, after it was written, it must conjure powerful feelings with which we still identify. Essay -- Popular representations of war encompass how different generations and societies have seen, witnessed and explained or justified wars through the use of language, literature, visual arts and later, films. Contemporary war refers to the new concepts, weaponry, and technologies that have been used at the beginning of WWII to the present time period. Over the years that have passed, the methods and concepts have assumed newer complex forms, mainly due to widespread use of information and technology and also modern armies that have constantly upgraded to preserve their battle worthiness. Furthermore, contemporary war has sought the greater inclusion of civilians and civilian infrastructure as targets in destroying a nations capability of waging war. As an apt corollary of popular representations of war, Homer’s epic poem, ‘The Iliad’, tries to show its audience the suffering and loss caused by war, in his time period. In addition, some of the main themes in popular re presentations of war are, for example, the theme of wrath and revenge, motives that have been the start of many wars; and the theme of military prowess. However, ‘The Iliad’ can also be seen as a misleading corollary that disconnects from popular representations of war through the centuries, due to the fact that it excludes the theme of battle or combat suffering, since in ‘The Iliad’, soldiers die instantly, whereas the author does not expose to the readers the suffering accompanying so many wounded soldiers, who die a slow and un-hero like death. Using adequate quotes from ‘The Iliad’, Lokesson, Shay, and other outside sources, we will try to understand how ‘The Iliad’ is an apt and a misleading corollary to understand popular representations of war. The Greek ancient ... ...wn us a less tidy affair, involving many conflicting needs and many more possibilities of dissent. Overall, one thing remains clear, whether in The Iliad or in other depictions of war through the times, it is the young that are sent to the battlefield, either to gain glory or to die, thus, as Herbert Hoover once said: â€Å"Old men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die.† The Iliad is no different, as it clearly shows us that war is waged by those that can physically fight it, that show the bravery and masculine love for the affair and that have something to gain (or lose) from it. The Iliad thus, becomes perhaps, one of the greatest depictions of how war is fought and why it is fought, and the pathos it brings to all it touches. If we still read it 2,500 years or so, after it was written, it must conjure powerful feelings with which we still identify.

Emotions make the world go round Essay

Emotions are one of the unique traits of humans. Not all living things created by God were able to have emotions, only men are permitted to feel and express. Although animals have the ability to sense some things, it is not as powerful and as expressive as that of the humans. Human emotion speaks a thousand words†¦ in silent mode. What we have to understand when it comes to emotion is the reality that it comes from different factors which affects the cycle of emotion and feelings. Organism and environment has something to do with this but it is always linked to the question, â€Å"how do you feel? † which basically means that in emotions, feelings are essential (Kuhl, 1986). Do you ever wonder why a new born baby cries after his or her birth? Scientifically speaking, babies cry after birth because they are cold but there is a long story behind this one which we will not elaborate anymore. Looking in another aspect, away from science, babies cry because it signifies their ability to live. It serves as a sign that they are alive and it assures the people inside the delivery room about the baby’s existence. Looking at this situation through science’s perspective, an infant’s emotion is more likely associated with both conditioning and stimulation. Remember that around four (4) minutes before the baby is born, something happens inside his or her body which triggers the crying when the time to get out of the mother’s womb comes (Morley, 2002). On the other hand, when the baby is already born, we all know that the doctor taps the baby which ignites a little sense of feeling or sensitivity on the baby’s side. Therefore, conditioning and stimulation happens before and after the baby is born, thus, it is clear that there is really an effect both inside and outside the baby’s body. Although science can explain almost everything in life including emotions and feelings, in the end, it does not really matter that much when you were used in feeling and not thinking too much. Emotions are reactions in everything which happens to you. Others might associate it with adrenalin rush but thinking outside the box, emotions were proofs regarding your humanity. It is not the basis of weakness but instead, it is the sign that you are alive and doing well. Many people were not able to express their emotions like anger, fear happiness and sadness and decide to go to medical doctors for check ups. Perhaps, this is one proof that emotions are not just a thing in our life but ability. Works Cited Kuhl, J. (1986). Motivation and information processing: A new look at decision making, dynamic change, and action control. In R. M. Sorrentino & E. T. Higgins (Eds. ), Handbook of motivation and cognition: Foundations of social behavior (pp. 404-434). Chichester: Wiley. Morly, G. M. (2002). Why Do Babies Cry? The Anatomical and Physiological Changes During the Moments After Birth. http://www. cordclamp. com/Why Do Babies Cr1. htm

Eccos global value chain management - 1730 Words

ECCO A/S-GLOBAL VALUE CHAIN MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS 1. Describe the competitive environment of ECCO and determine how well ECCO is positioned (vis-à  -vis the competitors) to take advantage of changes in the industry. http://wulibraries.typepad.com/files/footwear.pdf 2. Analyze ECCO’s global value chain. How well does this configuration match the drivers in the industry? Analyze ECCO’s global value chain. High demand for quality and reduced lead times led the company to a self-sufficiency approach on streamlining its entire value chain from raw hides to finished shoes unlike its major competitors who only designed and marketed their products without in house manufacturing. In having a global network of tanneries, production facilities,†¦show more content†¦How well does this configuration match the drivers in the industry? Ownership of tanneries, factories and leather research centers maintained the firm’s brand of commitment to quality and boosted the company’s ambition and confidence in delivering products that met customer expectations In reducing the number of vendors, the company was able to maintain high quality levels through close quality control measures and maintain its brand image of working to create the perfect shoe. The firm also made compromises to its approach in some cases by outsourcing its production for shoes that could not benefit from its in-house technology. Most firms in the shoe industry outsourced production as a way to cut production and vendor logistic costs. 3. ECCO has a fully integrated vertical value chain. What are the pros and cons of this strategy? What economic and strategic factors should be analyzed to answer this question? Pros: Higher demands of quality can be achieved (e.g. through better quality control) supports the company’s vision of high quality products Core Technology stays within the company You have more price control (= less exposed to price fluctuation) Eliminate the intermediaries (and obtain the margin of supplier / intermediaries) Higher economies of scale Ability to access leading expert knowledge about tanning Implement shoe and company specific Research Development (for example less pollution = can be used forShow MoreRelatedEcco a/S – Global Value Chain Management1709 Words   |  7 PagesFirm in a Global Economy ECCO A/S – Global Value Chain Management Question 1: 1. Relate the Ecco case to the conceptualization of the organization as a global factory. What similarities and dissimilarities with the global factory conceptualization do you see and what solutions may it present? Similarities: As ECCO had been very successful in the footwear industry by focusing on production technology and assuring quality by maintaining full control of the entire value chain, ECCO grewRead MoreEssay Ecco Case Anwers1256 Words   |  6 PagesECCO Case Study - Question 1 ECCO has a fully integrated vertical value chain. What are the pros and cons of that strategy? What economic and strategic factors should be analyzed to answer this question? The pros of a having a fully integrated vertical supply chain for Ecco include the following: * Improved supply chain coordination between tanning, manufacturing and distribution. This would ultimately help maintain quality and improve operational efficiencies such as logistics. Read MoreEcco Analysis3773 Words   |  16 Pagesachieved the highest surplus in the company’s history with a profit before tax of DKK 904 million. 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It reflects the values, expectations and goals of those who are in power within the organisation.† (RDI course material-Strategic Management module; Unit 1-Nature and scope of strategic management; Lesson 1-Nature) Strategic decisions direct the company towards the path of growth. A company formulated and undertook decisions in such a way that a strategicRead MoreGlobal Value Chain Management1307 Words   |  6 Pagesunprofitable customers someone else will  » ECCO A/S – Global value chain management case study Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 at 8:27 am My operations management coursework was based on the ECCO A/S – Global Value Chain Management case study which is an interesting paper on ECCO A/S (ECCO) who have been very successful in the footwear industry by focusing on production technology and assuring quality by maintaining full control of the entire value chain from â€Å"cow to shoe.†. ECCO follow a differentiationRead MoreEcco Case5429 Words   |  22 PagesECCO CASE – PROJECT 1 Table of contentsî ¿ ¿ Table of contents Question Theory used in this report Data collection Company description Financial situation SW - Internal Value Chain Ramp;D Production Sales and Marketing Service Core competences Benchmark Ansoff’s matrix of growth GAP-analysis OT - External Porter’s 5 forces Force 1: The degree of rivalry Force 2: The threat of new entrants Force 3: The threat of substitutes Force 4: Buyer power Force 5: Supplier power Porter’s