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Environmental Public Health

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

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Full-Text Articles in Law

Opening The Industry Playbook: Myths And Truths In The Debate Over Bpa Regulation, Thomas Mcgarity, Rena I. Steinzor, Matthew Shudtz, Lena Pons May 2011

Opening The Industry Playbook: Myths And Truths In The Debate Over Bpa Regulation, Thomas Mcgarity, Rena I. Steinzor, Matthew Shudtz, Lena Pons

Faculty Scholarship

For the last two decades, scientists have amassed evidence that bisphenol A (BPA) poses a threat to human health. Although scientists have targeted BPA as a public health concern, plastics industry lobbyists have attempted to thwart the efforts of federal, state, and local authorities to reduce exposure to BPA. This paper reviews the major arguments advanced by the plastics industry and debunks them as “myths” that public health officials must reject. The five topics covered include: the myth of scientific consensus on safety; the myth that only studies complying with “Good Laboratory Practices” guidelines are adequate for making regulatory decisions; …


A New Kind Of "Outrageous Misconduct": Effects To Undermine The Law's Ability To Deter And Punish Intentional And Outrageous Corporate Behavior, Candace Howard Apr 2005

A New Kind Of "Outrageous Misconduct": Effects To Undermine The Law's Ability To Deter And Punish Intentional And Outrageous Corporate Behavior, Candace Howard

Student Articles and Papers

The current tort "reform" movement, if successful, will completely undermine our most effective tool for deterring outrageous corporate misconduct: the threat of punitive damages. Such "reform" would have a particularly egregious impact on the environment and public health because, due to a lack of enforcement and the undetectable nature of many pollutants, environmental offenses are often more difficult to deter than other types of offenses. The essay argues that, although rarely imposed for environmental offenses, punitive damages are especially vital in that arena because, when imposed, they are richly deserved. It concludes that, rather than tort reform, what we need …