Skip to main content

Promoting National Site Contamination Law: The Challenge of Harmonisation

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Global Approaches to Site Contamination Law
  • 609 Accesses

Abstract

Based on the review of international law and national laws relating to site contamination in earlier chapters, this chapter considers the need to promote specific legislation on the issue at the domestic level. The conclusion is drawn that existing ‘site contamination law’ does not adequately cover all aspects of site contamination management. In addition, recent changes in the approach to remediation in some countries (e.g., voluntary and ‘privatised’ cleanups, and contaminants remaining on-site) necessitate a comprehensive national framework. The case for harmonisation is considered in detail, in particular whether it is both appropriate and feasible to promote a harmonised approach to site contamination. Various types of harmonisation are identified, with reference to specific initiatives for legal harmonisation on other environmental issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ancel M (1976) From the unification of law to its harmonization. Tulane Law Rev 51:108

    Google Scholar 

  • Backer LC (ed) (2007) Harmonizing law in an era of globalization: convergence, divergence, and resistance. Carolina Academic Press, Durham

    Google Scholar 

  • Bedner A (2008) Amalgamating environmental law in Indonesia. In: Arnscheidt J, van Rooij B, Otto JM (eds) Lawmaking for development: explorations into the theory and practice of international legislative projects. Leiden University Press, Leiden, pp 171–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Berveling S (2005) Legal issues regarding the sustainable management of contaminated soils with examples from Australia. Paper presented to the international workshop on strategies, science and law for the conservation of the world soil resources, Selfoss, Iceland, 14–18 September 2005

    Google Scholar 

  • Boer B, Hannam I (2011) A background paper for World Conservation Congress – IUCN Commission on Environmental Law – workshop on a soil convention. Paper presented to the 3rd worldwide conference on environmental law NGOs and Lawyers, Limoges, France, 29 September–1 October 2011

    Google Scholar 

  • Busch PO, Jörgens H (2005) The international sources of policy convergence: explaining the spread of environmental policy innovations. J Eur Public Policy 12(5):860–884

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Busch PO, Jörgens H, Tews K (2005) The global diffusion of regulatory instruments: the making of a new international environmental regime. Ann Am Acad Pol Soc Sci 598:146–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cairney T, Hobson DM (eds) (1998) Contaminated land: problems and solutions, 2nd edn. Routledge/Taylor & Francis, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Connaughton JL (2002) The United States federal government and its uptake of the ISO 14000 series of environmental management standards. Office of the Federal Environmental Executive

    Google Scholar 

  • David R (1968) The methods of unification. Am J Comp Law 16:13–27

    Google Scholar 

  • deLisle J (1999) Lex Americana? United States legal assistance, American legal models, and legal change in the post-Communist world and beyond. Univ Pa J Int Econ Law 20:179–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Eccleston CH (2008) NEPA and environmental planning: tools, techniques and approaches for practitioners. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Elkins Z, Simmons B (2005) On waves, clusters and diffusions: a conceptual framework. Ann Am Acad Pol Soc Sci 598:33–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Environment Agency (2007) CSI 015: progress in management of contaminated sites, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • European Parliament (2006) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the protection of soil, COM (2006) 232 final, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • European Parliament (Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety) (2007) Report on the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection. A6-0411/2007 (24 October 2007), Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Fazio S (2007) The harmonization of international commercial law. Kluwer Law International, The Hague

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson CC (1999) Assessing risks from contaminated sites: policy and practice in 16 European countries. Land Contam Reclam 7(2):33–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2000) Assessing soil contamination: a reference manual

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerwitz P (2003) The US-China rule of law initiative. William & Mary Bill Rights J 11:603–621

    Google Scholar 

  • Gkoutzinis A (2005) How far is Basel from Geneva? International regulatory convergence and the elimination of barriers to international financial integration. Working paper series, Social Science Research Network

    Google Scholar 

  • GlaxoSmithKline (2002) The impact of medicines: sustainability in environment, health and safety report, in The impact of medicines: corporate social responsibility report 2002. Middlesex, United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzman AT (2002) Introduction: international regulatory harmonization. Chic J Int Law 3(2):271

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzman AT (2003) The case for international antitrust. Boalt working papers in public law no. 10. Berkeley, University of California

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannam I, Boer B (2004) Drafting legislation for sustainable soils: a guide. IUCN Environmental policy and law paper no. 52. Gland, Switzerland: International Union for the Conservation of Nature

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvard Kennedy School, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation (2006). Adopting ISO-9000 standards in government offices. Available at http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/awards.html?id=31061

  • Held M, Kümmerer K, Odendahl K (1998) Preserving soils for life: the Tutzing project “Time ecology”. In: Proposal for a convention on sustainable use of soils. Ökom Verlag, Munich

    Google Scholar 

  • Hollins M, Percy S (1998) Environmental liability for contaminated land – towards a European consensus. Land Use Policy 15(2):119–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • International Organization for Standardization (2012) About ISO. Available at http://www.iso.org/iso/about.htm

  • International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (2004). Standardization and related activities – general vocabulary, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Jörgens H (2003) Governance by diffusion – implementing global norms through cross-national imitation and learning. FFU report no. 07–2003, Environmental Policy and Research Centre, Freie Universität Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamba WJ (1974) Comparative law: a theoretical framework. Int Comp Law Q 23(3):485–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knill C (2005) Introduction: cross-national policy convergence – concepts, approaches and explanatory factors. J Eur Public Policy 12(5):764–774

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence D, Lee RG (2003) Permitting uncertainty: owners, occupiers and responsibility for remediation. Mod Law Revi 66:261–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Layard A (2006) The Europeanisation of contaminated land. In: Betlem G, Brans E (eds) Environmental liability in the EU: the 2004 directive compared with US and member state law. Cameron May, London, pp 129–147

    Google Scholar 

  • McAusland C (2005) Harmonizing tailpipe policy in symmetric countries: improve the environment, improve welfare? J Environ Econ Manage 50:229–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (2007) Report of the pilot study meeting: prevention and remediation in selected industrial sectors – sediments, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Google Scholar 

  • Pistor K (2002) The standardization of law and its effect on developing economies. Am J Comp Law 50(1):97–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitt HL, Groskaufmanis KA (1990) Minimizing corporate civil and criminal liability: a second look at corporate codes of conduct. Georget Law J 78:1559–1654

    Google Scholar 

  • Polach JG (1959) Harmonization of laws in Western Europe. Am J Comp Law 8:148–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raustiala K (2002) The architecture of international cooperation: transgovernmental networks and the future of international law. Working paper no. 02–005. Princeton University Program in Law and Public Affairs

    Google Scholar 

  • Rio Tinto (2008) Environment standard E5: hazardous materials and contamination control, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers EM (2003) Diffusion of innovations. Free Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens C (1993) Harmonization, trade and the environment. Int Environ Aff 5(1):42–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone D (2001) Learning lessons, policy transfer and the international diffusion of policy ideas. Working paper no. 69/01. Centre for the Study of the Globalisation and Regionalisation, University of Warwick, United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  • Twining W (2004) Diffusion of law: a global perspective. J Leg Plur 49:1–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Uniform Law Commission (2012) Environmental Covenants Act – enactment status map. Available at http://uniformlaws.org/Act.aspx?title=Environmental%20Covenants%20Act

  • United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council (1987) Goals and principles of environmental impact assessment. UN Doc. UNEP/GC.14/25 (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Environment Programme, Center for International Environmental Law (2007) Elements of good practice in legal frameworks for the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs in Latin America

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Environment Programme/French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) (2005) Identification and management of contaminated sites: a methodological guide, 2nd edn, ADEME Editions, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Environment Programme, International Council on Metals and the Environment (2002) International cyanide management code for the manufacture, transport and use of cyanide in the production of gold

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Industrial Development Organization (2010) UNIDO contaminated site investigation and management toolkit. Available at http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=1001169

  • United Nations Industrial Development Organization (2012) Online materials and e-learning for contaminated sites. Available at http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=5157

  • Wirth DA (2007) The EU’s new impact on US environmental regulation. Boston College Law School research paper no. 144, Boston College, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodman S (2003) Bilateral aid to improve human rights. China Perspectives, 51. Available at http://chinaperspectives.revues.org/document788.html

  • World Bank (1998) Pollution prevention and abatement handbook. World Bank, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (2000) Operational policy 4.02/Bank procedure 4.02: environmental action plans, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (2007) Bank procedure 4.01: environmental assessment Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

Legal Materials

  • Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (1991) Opened for signature 25 February 1991, 1989 UNTS 309 (entry into force 10 September 1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Executive Order No 13148 on Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management, issued by President William J Clinton on 26 April 2000, Federal Register vol 61 no 81, 24595

    Google Scholar 

  • National Environmental Policy Act 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321–4347 (United States)

    Google Scholar 

  • Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals [2006] OJ L 396 (‘REACH’) (entry into force 1 June 2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, A/CONF.151/26 (vol I), United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3–14 June 1992

    Google Scholar 

  • Toxic Substances Control Act 1976, 15 USC 2601–2692 (United States)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth Brandon .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Brandon, E. (2013). Promoting National Site Contamination Law: The Challenge of Harmonisation. In: Global Approaches to Site Contamination Law. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5745-5_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics