environmental legislation

States that chemical additives found to induce cancer or reasonable harm in humans or animals could not be approved by the FDA for use in foods and drugs

Delaney Clause of Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

Legislation enacted with the goal of protecting public health through the regulation of above-ground reservoirs, lakes, and rivers and underground aquifers

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

US Law passed in 1980 with the main purpose of cleaning up and/or containing abandoned toxic waste; financed on taxes on companies that produce hazardous waste (called a “superfund”)

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

Also known as the “cradle to grave” act; gives the EPA the authority to control hazardous waste at all stages; Requires shippers, generators, and disposers to keep detailed accounts of the type and amount of hazardous waste that handled from the generation of the waste until its disposal.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Made it unlawful for anyone to discharge any point source pollution without any permits; This legislation had overall goals of making sure bodies of water were fishable and swimmable

Clean Water Act

international agreement with the aim of binding countries that sign the act to regulations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; tighter regulations set for more developed countries; the united states did not sign

Kyoto Protocol

international treaty that aimed to eliminate production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ex. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and carbon tetrafluorides); 1st treaty in the history of the united nations to have universal ratification

Montreal Protocol

set limits regarding the following pollutants: lead, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides, tropospheric ozone (O3)

Clean Air Act

US law that identifies endangered, threatened, and vulnerable species and places restrictions and regulations on any recreational or commercial activities involving those species

Endangered Species Act

international agreement regulation trade and living specimens and products derived from endangered species (ex., makes the sale of rhino horn illegal). Countries collaborate to ensure that any type of trade of an endangered specimen is biologically sustainable.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)